The next morning, the arena was busier than ever.
The stands were packed. Cheers were already audible from the moment the gates opened. In the center of the arena, Marcus Thorne stood with an announcement board in his hand. His voice echoed throughout the venue.
"Attention! Due to the contestants' conditions, the final format has been changed!"
On the highest balcony, Zenless Mammon stood with his fan open. A faint smile adorned his face. The morning sunlight reflected off his platinum blond hair, making it gleam like a crown.
"Group 1 lost one member. Group 2 remains intact." His fan closed with a sharp snap. "I don't like unbalanced fights."
He waved his hand. The large board in the center of the arena began to glow.
COMBINED TEAM
· Zero
· Mysterious X
· Voice
· Forest Guardian
· Keen Observer
GROUP 2
· Wall Keeper
· Archer
· Walking Shadow
· Deathblade Dancer
· Thunder Strike
Keen Observer raised an eyebrow. "Me?"
Zenless smiled. "You lost, but you were the one who gave Zero the most trouble. You deserve a second chance."
Keen Observer didn't answer. But the corner of his lips lifted slightly.
---
The combined team gathered on the west side of the arena. Zero stood beside Mysterious X. Voice and Forest Guardian behind them. Keen Observer joined with casual steps, his hands still in his cloak pockets.
"Don't expect me to protect you," he said.
Zero didn't answer.
Mysterious X spoke for the first time that morning. "I'll take the fastest one."
Zero turned. "You're speaking?"
Mysterious X didn't answer. Their eyes were fixed on Walking Shadow, who was warming up on the east side.
Forest Guardian observed the enemy line. "Wall Keeper is too strong for one person. Voice, you help me."
Voice nodded.
Zero looked at Keen Observer. "Who are you fighting?"
Keen Observer didn't answer. His eyes were fixed on one figure in the middle of Group 2's formation. A figure who hadn't moved since the start—no warm-up, no conversation with teammates. Just standing. Hand on sword hilt. Eyes closed.
"The most dangerous one," Keen Observer finally said. "But you'll join later."
Zero blinked. "What?"
Keen Observer was already walking toward the center of the arena.
---
On the east side, the atmosphere was different.
Wall Keeper planted his shield in the sand, his body standing like a tower. Walking Shadow moved restlessly, his shadow lengthening and shortening alternately. Thunder Strike spun his axes, small sparks crackling at the blade tips.
Archer didn't move. His eyes were closed. Hand on his bow. Breathing steady as ocean waves.
And among them, Deathblade Dancer opened his eyes.
"Don't kill," he said. His voice was flat, like discussing the weather.
Thunder Strike laughed. "You're no fun."
"I don't like wasting time on corpses."
Wall Keeper raised his shield. "We'll see."
---
On the balcony, Zenless raised his fan. Sunlight reflected off his fingertips.
"Final... BEGIN!"
Thunder Strike shot forward first. His axes spun, lightning striking in all directions. "Lightning Axe!"
Zero moved. His body dodged, but Thunder Strike gave no pause. "Voltic Rush!" His body shot forward like lightning, axe swinging toward Zero's head.
Zero ducked, the axe passing over his hair. His hand moved quickly, catching Thunder Strike's wrist.
"You're fast," Zero said. "But too predictable."
Thunder Strike growled. Lightning crackled from his body to Zero's hand. Zero gritted his teeth but didn't let go. He spun his body, throwing Thunder Strike into the sand.
---
On the other side of the arena, Walking Shadow vanished into shadow.
Mysterious X stood still. Not moving. Not looking left or right. Just standing.
A blade emerged from the shadow behind them.
Mysterious X was no longer there. The blade struck empty air. Walking Shadow was startled—but before he could turn, a hand touched his shoulder. One push. Walking Shadow fell.
"You rely on shadows," Mysterious X said, their voice heard from behind the white mask. "But here, the sun hasn't fully risen. Your shadow is long. Slow."
Walking Shadow growled, rising—but Mysterious X was before him again. One spear-hand strike sent Walking Shadow flying into the arena wall. Sand scattered.
---
Meanwhile, Voice and Forest Guardian faced Wall Keeper.
"Vine Prison!" Roots spread from the ground, wrapping around Wall Keeper's legs. But the giant man didn't move. The roots snapped on their own when they tried to tighten.
"Frozen Echo!" Voice vibrated the air. Low vibrations slowed Wall Keeper's movements... but he wasn't moving at all.
Forest Guardian sighed. "He's just defending. It doesn't matter how we attack."
Voice nodded. "We need to provoke him."
Forest Guardian raised both hands. New roots appeared—not from the ground, but from the air, from the dust, from the moisture. Thousands of small roots attacked Wall Keeper from all directions. Voice added sound waves disrupting his balance.
Wall Keeper held his ground. His shield spun, batting away the roots. But for the first time, his foot shifted. Slightly.
"Now!" Forest Guardian shouted.
Voice gathered all his energy in his throat. "Sonic—"
"Shield Charge!"
Wall Keeper charged forward. His shield struck Voice—but Voice dodged at the last second. Forest Guardian didn't. She raised her hands, thorned roots wrapping around Wall Keeper's entire body as he advanced.
He fell. His giant shield slipped from his grasp, crashing into the sand with a deafening sound.
Voice stood over him, gasping. "Done."
---
Zero had just finished with Thunder Strike when he saw Keen Observer walking toward the center of the arena.
Before him, Deathblade Dancer stood still. Hand on sword hilt. Eyes closed. Since the battle began, he hadn't moved. Not like Walking Shadow's restlessness, not like Thunder Strike's explosive energy. Just standing.
Keen Observer stopped three steps before him.
"You were waiting," Keen Observer said.
Deathblade Dancer opened his eyes. "I was waiting for all the distractions to leave."
He drew his swords.
Two swords. One motion. Keen Observer stepped back—but it was too late. A wound opened on his arm, blood soaking his grey cloak.
Keen Observer blinked. "I can't read—"
Deathblade Dancer was before him again. His swords spun like a whirlwind. "Blade Waltz."
Two swords danced. No pattern. No rhythm. Each slash different from the last, each thrust coming from an unexpected direction.
Keen Observer retreated. Reading, dodging, countering. But each time he thought he understood, Deathblade Dancer changed. Too fast. Too chaotic.
The wounds on his arm multiplied. On his shoulder, his chest, his thigh.
Zero wanted to help. But Thunder Strike was still struggling to rise. Walking Shadow was already down. Wall Keeper had fallen.
Only Archer still stood on the east side. Eyes closed. Hand on bow. Not moving.
"He's waiting," Satan whispered.
Zero sighed. He turned, running toward Keen Observer.
---
In the center of the arena, Keen Observer fell to his knees. Blood flowed from wounds across his body. Deathblade Dancer stood before him, sword raised.
"You're strong," Deathblade Dancer said. "But not strong enough."
Zero appeared between them. His sword met Deathblade Dancer's. CLANG! Sparks flew.
Deathblade Dancer raised an eyebrow. "Interfering?"
Zero didn't answer. His sword spun, pushing Deathblade Dancer back.
Keen Observer rose, unsteady. "I said—"
"I know." Zero didn't turn. "But you've done enough."
Keen Observer tried to argue, but a cough stopped him. Blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. He smiled bitterly. "Fine. Your turn."
He retreated, leaving Zero facing Deathblade Dancer.
Deathblade Dancer lowered his swords. "You're the last?"
Zero nodded.
"Good." Deathblade Dancer raised both swords. "Blade Waltz."
Zero moved. His sword spun, blocking, countering. But Deathblade Dancer was faster than he expected. Each slash left small wounds on his arms, his shoulders, his cheek.
Zero retreated. Deathblade Dancer advanced. No pause.
Zero gritted his teeth. He couldn't keep this up. He had to end it.
He raised his left hand—not to block, but for something else.
Darkness formed in his palm. Not like before. Not like at the palace, when he released a wave without control. This time, he controlled it.
The darkness spun. Forming a small vortex. Condensing. Becoming a black point that absorbed the surrounding light.
"Singularity Grasp."
Deathblade Dancer stopped. His sword halted mid-swing. His eyes fixed on the black point in Zero's hand.
"What is that?" he whispered.
Zero didn't answer. He stepped forward. Deathblade Dancer retreated. For the first time, his eyes showed caution.
Zero raised his hand. The dark vortex expanded.
Deathblade Dancer lowered his swords. "You win."
Zero stopped.
Deathblade Dancer sheathed his swords. "I'm not foolish enough to fight something I don't understand." He looked at Zero for a long moment. "Next time, you won't be this lucky."
He turned, walking out of the arena.
Zero lowered his hand. The dark vortex vanished. His palm was warm, but unharmed.
Keen Observer whistled softly from behind. "That's... new."
Zero didn't answer. From the corner of his eye, Archer still stood on the east side. Still silent. Still waiting.
"Now it's his turn," Satan whispered.
Zero sighed. He turned to face Archer.
---
Archer opened his eyes.
From the start of the battle, he hadn't moved. No warm-up. No words. Just standing with bow in hand, arrows formed from wind. Eyes closed. Breathing steady as ocean waves.
Now, he drew his bowstring.
Zero felt it. Not an ordinary threat. This was something else. Something he had felt before, but never this strong.
"Be careful," Satan whispered.
Archer released the arrow. One arrow shot into the sky. Not toward them—upward, straight into the blue sky. Then, at its peak, the arrow stopped.
And shattered.
Into ten. Into a hundred. Into rain.
"Rain of Arrows."
Zero shouted. "EVERYONE FALL BACK!"
Forest Guardian raised her hands. "Wooden Wall!" Giant roots erupted from the ground, forming a shield above their heads. But the arrows pierced through. Through wood, through earth, through air.
Voice opened his mouth. "Sonic Boom!" Sound waves deflected approaching arrows, but there were too many. Too fast.
Zero moved. His sword spun, cutting down arrows. Mysterious X moved like lightning through the rain, dodging without a single arrow touching their cloak. Keen Observer read each trajectory, his body moving with minimal motion—a little left, a little right, just enough to evade.
But Forest Guardian wasn't fast enough. An arrow pierced her shoulder. She fell, blood flowing.
Voice turned, running toward her—but a second arrow struck his leg. He fell beside Forest Guardian.
Archer was already aiming again. This time, one arrow. One target.
Zero.
The bowstring drew. The arrow shot forward.
Mysterious X saw it. They appeared before Zero, hand raised. The arrow struck their palm—and pierced through.
Blood sprayed. The arrow went through Mysterious X's palm, embedding in Zero's shoulder. But not deep. Barely. Mysterious X had stopped the arrow with their own hand.
Zero froze. "You—"
Mysterious X didn't answer. They pulled the arrow from their palm, blood flowing freely. Their eyes never left Archer.
"I'll handle him," they said. Their voice was different now. Something there—not anger, not fear. But... resolve.
Zero wanted to stop them, but Mysterious X was already gone. Not toward Archer—but toward the shadow behind a pillar.
---
Archer didn't panic. He had predicted this.
He drew three arrows at once—not to shoot, but to nock. "Triple Shot!" Three arrows shot toward Mysterious X from three different angles.
Mysterious X dodged two. The third struck their left arm. They didn't stop.
Archer drew three more arrows. This time, he didn't shoot at Mysterious X. He shot at the ground before them.
"Explosive Arrow!"
The sand explosion created a wall of dust. Mysterious X lost direction—but didn't stop. They ran through the dust, eyes closed, ears listening.
Archer was already behind the dust wall. The sixth arrow was nocked. One target. One shot.
"Piercing Arrow."
The arrow shot forward. Straight. Fast. Deadly.
Mysterious X couldn't dodge.
The arrow pierced their stomach.
They fell.
Blood flowed from the wound in their stomach. Their white mask shifted, revealing short dark blue-black hair beneath. They fell to their knees, hand pressing against the wound, trying to stem the blood.
Archer walked closer. Bow in hand, one final shot. Twenty arrows. Twenty lives. This was the last.
"You're brave," Archer said, his voice flat. "But not brave enough."
He drew the final arrow to finish Mysterious X.
---
Zero watched everything from a distance.
Mysterious X fell. Blood in the sand. Wound in the stomach. Mask shifted, revealing dark blue-black hair.
"It's her."
His blood boiled.
Archer drew his bowstring. One final arrow. One target. Mysterious X, unable to move.
Zero didn't think. Didn't plan. Didn't calculate distance.
His body moved.
Not teleportation. Not running. Not jumping.
He was between Archer and Mysterious X before the arrow was released.
Archer was startled. The arrow shot—not toward Mysterious X, but toward Zero's chest.
Zero raised his hand.
Darkness formed in his palm. A small vortex. A black point that absorbed light.
"Singularity Grasp."
The arrow struck the dark vortex.
And vanished.
Not deflected. Not shattered. Vanished. As if swallowed by nothingness.
Archer stood frozen, bow still raised, hand empty. His final arrow was gone.
"What... is that?" he whispered.
Zero didn't answer. He walked closer.
Archer retreated. For the first time, his eyes showed fear. "Don't—"
Zero didn't stop.
Archer drew a knife from his waist. Short, sharp, enough to pierce a heart. He raised it—but Zero was already too close.
Zero's hand caught Archer's wrist. Twisted. The knife fell.
Archer fell to his knees. Zero stood before him, still gripping Archer's wrist.
"Done," Zero said.
Archer looked up. His eyes—not angry, not afraid. Just... empty. "You won't kill."
"No."
"But I would have killed your friend."
Zero was silent. His hand didn't release Archer's wrist.
Archer smiled. "Next time—"
He didn't finish.
From the wound in his stomach—a wound no one had noticed—blood flowed freely. Mysterious X's arrow hadn't just pierced his stomach. The arrow had broken. The shaft was still embedded inside Archer's body. A final, desperate plan.
Archer fell. The sand beneath him turned red.
Zero crouched. "Archer?"
Archer didn't answer. His eyes were still open, but unseeing. Not breathing.
Marcus ran closer, checking Archer's pulse. His face paled. "He's... gone."
Silence.
The crowd stopped cheering. Even Zenless on the balcony was quiet.
Zero stood. His hand was still warm. On his chest, the pendant glowed.
He hadn't meant to kill. But Archer was dead. And Zero knew—Archer didn't die because of him, but because of Archer himself. Because he chose to kill. Because he chose that final arrow for Mysterious X.
Zero turned. Mysterious X still lay in the sand, hand pressed to their stomach wound. Their mask had fallen off. Their face was pale, but their eyes were still open.
Leon knelt beside them. "Sylphine."
Sylphine smiled faintly. "You... knew."
"I've known for a long time."
He didn't ask why Sylphine disguised herself. Didn't ask why she didn't tell him. He just lifted her, cradling her head, pressing on her wound.
"Sylvaine..." Sylphine whispered. "You'll save her, won't you?"
Leon bit his lip. "I'll save you both."
Sylphine laughed softly, but a cough stopped her. Blood flowed from the corner of her mouth. "You're... too ambitious."
Leon didn't answer. His hand pressed harder on Sylphine's wound.
---
In the center of the arena, Marcus raised his hand. His voice was no longer booming, but still echoed.
"WINNER... COMBINED TEAM!"
The crowd's cheers thundered. But this time, no one chanted Zero's name. They just shouted—fear, relief, hysteria.
Zero didn't hear. He carried Sylphine, leaving the arena. Behind him, Keen Observer followed. Voice and Forest Guardian had risen, their wounds treated by medical staff. Stone Sentinel still lay on a stretcher.
On the balcony, Zenless stood, watching Zero's retreating back.
"Zero," he whispered. "Who are you, really?"
In his hand, his fan was half-open. His eyes didn't blink.
---
In the arena's back room, Leon laid Sylphine on an emergency bed. The arena's healers rushed over, beginning to dress her wounds. Sylphine was unconscious, her face pale as paper.
Keen Observer stood at the door. "You know her."
It wasn't a question.
Leon nodded. "She's... the sister of someone I love."
Keen Observer raised an eyebrow. "You came to the arena for her?"
Leon shook his head. "I came for something bigger in the Nexus."
Keen Observer was silent for a moment. Then smiled faintly. "I'll come."
Leon turned. "What?"
"I'll go to the Nexus with you." Keen Observer leaned against the doorframe. "I'm curious. What kind of person could drive you this far."
Leon didn't know how to answer.
From outside, Marcus's voice echoed. "Zero! Zenless is calling for you!"
Leon stood. On the bed, Sylphine was still unconscious. But her breathing was steady.
"Watch over her," Leon said.
Keen Observer nodded.
Leon walked out. Before him, the door to Zenless opened.
On his chest, the pendant glowed.
=== CHAPTER 21 END ===