"The first battle will be between Valdron's hero, Ragnar, and Aeltherion's hero. These matches will be friendly. The goal is to observe each other's abilities so that the decisive match will be fair. Heroes, step into the arena!"
The crowd roared as we stepped into the arena.
Ragnar looked at me with a mocking smile.
"I won't go easy on you just because you're my friend."
I answered with the same confidence.
"Neither will I."
He laughed loudly.
"Wait, do you think I'd lose to you, the Great Writer's spoiled child?"
"Stop calling me that name."
He didn't reply, just raised his massive sword. We both took our stances, and the referee announced the start of the match.
I drew my blade, coating it with mana, feeling the energy flow through it.
Ragnar watched me before drawing his massive weapon, glowing with radiant mana.
"Aren't you going to use your ability?" I asked.
He answered with confidence.
"I'll save it for the decisive match."
I smirked.
"Didn't expect that kind of wisdom from you."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Is that a compliment?"
I didn't let him finish. I lunged forward with my sword.
He moved at the last moment, dodging the strike just inches from his face.
"You sly bastard!"
"The battle's already begun. Don't expect me to hold back!"
He raised his massive sword and swung it down in a vertical strike. Heavy as it was, it fell with lightning speed.
I leapt back at the last second, rolling away before feeling the gust of wind that followed his strike. Half a second slower and I would've been torn apart.
I seized the moment when his weapon was heavy, charging forward and slashing at his shoulder.
The strike hit, but he didn't scream. He didn't even flinch.
"That all you got?" I said mockingly.
He didn't reply. He simply raised his blade again.
I dashed in with a fast strike, but he blocked it with ease, pushing me back. I spun quickly and launched a double slash, cutting across his stomach.
But suddenly—
A crushing blow hit my face.
Ragnar's punch! I hadn't even seen it.
I flew across the arena, smashing into the ground. My face felt shattered.
Wiping the blood from my nose, I looked up at him with a smile.
"That's what I was waiting for." I took a deep breath. "But don't think I'll go down with just one or two blows."
"Of course not!"
We rushed at each other again.
I aimed a quick thrust at his face, but he ducked just in time. Before I could pull back, his fist slammed into my stomach.
I gasped in pain, but clung to his arm, striking his chest with three quick cuts.
We separated, both panting.
He looked at me seriously.
"Won't you use Earthquake?"
I raised a brow.
"How do you know about that?"
Ragnar laughed mockingly.
"Don't you know? The incident spread across all the kingdoms."
I exhaled sharply.
"Didn't know I was that famous." I tried to play it off.
"Famous? Everyone hates you, don't you get it? Protests demanded your return to your own world. They were even led by Deputy Knight Commander Mary. Some demanded the match be fought with seven heroes or that a new one be summoned."
"What a warm welcome."
"But King Alexander barely managed to silence them."
For the first time since the fight began, I looked toward the audience. They were chanting one name:
"Ragnar! Ragnar!"
What a crowd.
The referee interrupted.
"Heroes, the rules state you must use your abilities during matches."
"Is that really a rule?" Ragnar asked.
"Did you read them?" I shot back.
"No. Did you?"
"Yes… but I ignored that one. Thought no one would care."
Before I could finish, Ragnar slashed at my face with claws. I ducked, twisting midair, trying to stab his arm with a dagger from my belt. But the moment it touched his skin, it shattered into pieces.
I pulled back, keeping distance, scanning the arena. The once white stage was now covered in autumn leaves. Confused, I turned back to Ragnar.
"What the hell—since when are you a cat?" I said in shock. Ragnar's body had transformed into that of a white tiger walking upright.
"Funny joke. This is my ability—Bai Hu, embodiment of the West and Autumn."
So that explained the falling leaves. I suddenly remembered the Chinese myth of Bai Hu from my first world—Earth.
My thoughts were broken by Ragnar's thunderous roar. It shook the arena, freezing my body.
"Move, damn it, move!" I tried to command my body, but it wouldn't respond. Suddenly, Ragnar appeared before me and landed a direct strike to my face.
I blacked out for moments before forcing myself back up, refusing to be knocked out of the arena.
They already knew about Earthquake—so I might as well use it.
"What are you thinking, hero?" Ragnar charged at me like a raging tiger.
I clenched my fist. "Take this!"
The ground shook violently within five meters, stone spikes erupting and impaling Ragnar's body—some piercing straight through him.
The crowd screamed, retreating in fear of another disaster like the training grounds. Earth-element knights stood guard outside the ring.
Ragnar coughed blood but didn't fall. He kept pushing forward, the spikes tearing deeper into his flesh. I stood still, watching.
Suddenly, Ragnar coated his body in metal and lunged at me with explosive speed, shattering the stones and slamming me with a punch that sent me flying out of the arena.
"The first match is over. The winner—Valdron's hero, Ragnar!"
I was healed and returned to the heroes' stands to watch the rest of the battles. My eyes drifted to Ragnar, basking in his victory. I smiled unconsciously, guilt gnawing inside for deceiving someone so pure-hearted.
"You're playing dirty," said Selina.
"I know."
"You could've beaten Ragnar if you'd used that lightning against Aldric's guards."
"And what then? Reveal even more of my ability? I'm not stupid. Wait… are you actually trying to win?"
"Yes. I don't care if they know my ability—I'm sure of my victory."
"Getting arrogant, aren't you?"
"And besides, the real reason is—you're the only one who can find weaknesses in others' powers. I've already seen it myself when you read the past."
Her words made me smile with pride.
"But I'm not the only one. Maybe Isaac, Kyle, even Nova could."
"None of them compare to you… not even me."
"So my loss wasn't in vain?"
"Not at all. Now, everyone will ignore you in the decisive group battle. Everyone except me, of course." She smirked. "You'll be the first I target."
I was about to answer when the referee called out.
"The next battle—Eltexa's hero Nova versus Mordiath's hero Kyle!"
Kyle and Nova entered the arena. Before the match began, Selina asked me:
"Who do you think will win?"
I stayed silent for a few seconds. "…Nova."
"Why Nova?"
"My brother is too smart to waste time on these matches."
"But the best way to analyze an opponent's ability is through direct combat. Don't you think so?"
"That lets them analyze yours too."
The match began.
The moment it did, chains pierced Nova's body. Kyle's weapon—ten chains tied to each of his fingers, each tipped with a sharp blade.
I was stunned. The match ended before it began—Nova collapsed unconscious, rushed to the emergency ward.
"The winner is Mordiath's hero, Kyle!" the referee announced with a trembling voice.
I turned to Selina.
"Still confident in your victory?"
Her voice wavered. "Not so much anymore. I'll have to give it my all." She added, "My match is next. Goodbye."
I waved. "Good luck."
Selina and Victor entered the arena.
"Mind if I sit here?" Kyle asked, appearing beside me.
"Since when do you ask if you can sit by me?"
"I'll sit even if you refuse… Anyway, how was Aeltherion?"
"…The welcome wasn't great, lots of problems… but the people are kind. What about Mordiath?"
"You wouldn't believe how obsessed they are with manners and elegance." His face grew pale, weary, but a small smile broke through as he chuckled.
"They have rules for everything—eating, drinking, even walking. It was so unbearable I often ate with the guards instead."
I chuckled. "Looks like I wasn't the only one who suffered."
"…Do you think I was wrong to win? Should I have stayed in the shadows?"
I asked him instead, "Does your technique increase your speed—or slow time itself? Am I right?"
"Yes."
"Then no, you weren't wrong."
"…I've seen you use lightning and wind. Along with earthquakes, are those all your abilities?"
"I can also summon floods."
"Hm… You really are a calamity."
"…Are you okay? You're not acting like yourself."
Kyle looked surprised. "Of course I'm fine. Why?"
"I know you're not." He was my brother. I could always tell when he lied.
He took a deep, shaky breath. "…Do you think we should keep going?"
"What do you mean?"
"Destroying worlds. Extermination."
I raised an eyebrow. "Of course. We're End Writers."
"Hah. Just as I thought…" He looked away, tears glinting in his eyes. "Then—I won't be one anymore."
My chest tightened, cold sweat dripping down my back.
"What? Kyle, what do you mean?"
"I'm joining those people."
"Brother, you—"
He cut me off, voice breaking with anger and pain. "Stop this nonsense! We're not human. We have no friends, no family. We're nothing but tools of destruction!"
I couldn't answer. My chest overflowed with emotions, but the words stayed trapped.
"This is what we're meant to be… Yet I see them—the comrades from worlds before. The people we killed haunt me in my nightmares." He clutched his head. "I can't take it anymore… It hurts."
"That's what humans call a conscience. Maybe that's what makes them human."
I was glad his feelings hadn't died, but it pained me that it hurt him this much.
"Why don't you join me?"
"What?"
"To ease our conscience, we should stop destroying worlds—and protect them instead. What do you say? Join me. You'll even get the name you've always wanted." He smiled as he said it.
I looked down for a while before whispering. "…I… I can't."
His smile vanished, replaced by a frown. "Is this because of the Great Writer?"
I didn't answer. My eyes stayed on the ground.
"He's not your father."
"I know. No need to remind me."
"Then why do you listen to him?"
"I… I don't know. I just can't betray him."
"Hero, Kyle—what are you two talking about?" Selina appeared.
"Did you finish your match?" Kyle asked.
"Not just mine. Even Isaac's—it's over."
"What? How—"
"Looks like we got carried away talking. Anyway, thank you. I needed someone to talk to."
As he walked toward the arena, I grabbed his shoulder. "Brother!"
"…What now?"
"All those centuries we spent together… the laughs, the smiles… Was it all nothing to you?"
"…Yes."
My body froze. My hand wouldn't move. My tongue wouldn't work.
I wanted to stop him. I wanted to say something—but I knew nothing I said could change his mind.
"…You're really not going to join me?" His trembling body couldn't even turn to face me. He was desperately clinging to our bond. But I was too blind to see it. My silence was my only answer.
Kyle turned and walked away. I returned to my seat, watching him leave. Deep down, I knew.
I knew these were our last moments as brothers. That from now on, I'd never hear the word "brother" from him again.
From now on… I'd only be his enemy.
I watched his back grow distant, feeling like I was seeing a stranger I'd never known.
Minutes later, my body finally moved. I sat back down, watching the match between Kyle and Ragnar.
…Whether Kyle won or lost, he would stay in this world. But if I won, maybe—just maybe—I could bring him back. That was why I had to win.
His chains tore into Ragnar's body, but Ragnar didn't fall. He attacked with his claws, but Kyle twisted behind him with incredible speed.
That's what everyone else saw. But what only Kyle saw was the world slowing down.
He wrapped his chains in mana and pierced Ragnar's body. Suddenly, Ragnar charged forward, cutting off Kyle's arm.
"—Refuse."
Time reset to the moment before Ragnar's strike. Kyle dodged behind him again, this time hurling Ragnar out of the arena, claiming victory.
Even with his Bai Hu transformation, Ragnar had been defeated.
Next came Selina and Isaac.
They stepped into the arena, swords ready. Selina cracked her fingers, gravity locking Isaac in place.
"You're weak, Isaac." She laughed, tossing him out of the arena.
Selina's gravity—an ability of legends. Worse still, she'd advanced it to the second level. That's why I saw her as the closest to victory. But even so… I would not lose.
"Now, the final match. Afterward, we'll begin the audience vote to predict who will win the group battle!"
A vote? Most would probably choose their favorites. But it wouldn't change my resolve to win.
As the crowd cheered, I realized—the match standing between me and the decisive battle had just begun.