The Central Arena of HeroCity trembled.
Millions of voices roared like thunder while massive spotlights crossed the sky above the city. Flags of the New Dawn Heroes waved violently in the wind, drones broadcasted everything to the entire planet, and the gigantic screens displayed the faces of the remaining competitors of the 2044 Draft.
The atmosphere alone felt electric.
Inside the VIP section, Ryan Valeborn walked casually with his hands in his pockets.
As soon as he approached the group—
Ryu Nox narrowed his eyes.
— Where the hell were you this whole time, man?
Ryan blinked.
— Ah... I was talking to Elijah.
Dante Valtier raised an eyebrow.
— Interesting... and what exactly were you talking about?
Ryan sat down calmly.
— Oh, I was giving him advice. I think he has a clear advantage, but Saddie fights almost exactly like Inavy and Ethan. Plus, it seems like she adapts the environment according to the attacks she receives, but Elijah's Overclock seems like a direct counter to that adaptation because depending on the exponential increase of his physical attributes, he can probably break the adaptive cycle before the environment fully responds and—
Silence.
Ryan kept going.
— —because if we think about it through multiplicative scaling, maybe the energetic flow of the battlefield reaches a saturation point where—
Everyone was staring at him.
...
...
Annie smiled.
Kane sighed.
Dante crossed his arms.
Ryu looked at Ethan Stormbreak.
Ethan looked back at Ryu.
Then everyone spoke at the exact same time:
— He talks WAY too much when he gets excited.
Ryan froze.
— Huh?
Zen Kagetsune laughed so hard he held his stomach.
— Bro turns into a damn scientist whenever he talks about powers!
Ryan scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
— Ah... my bad...
Ryu placed a hand on his shoulder.
— Relax, brother. That was hilarious.
Everyone burst into laughter.
Ryan's face turned red.
— You guys are idiots.
Meanwhile...
Backstage.
Inside the female locker room.
Saddie Stormbreak sat quietly while medics finished wrapping small bandages around her arms.
Even after her previous victory, her body still carried the marks of battle.
Then—
The door opened.
— Yo, little sis.
Saddie lifted her head instantly.
Her eyes sparkled immediately.
— BIG BROTHER !
She ran forward and jumped directly into Ethan's arms.
Ethan nearly lost his balance.
— Woah!
He laughed softly while messing up her hair.
— Still full of energy, huh?
His eyes then moved toward the scratches on her arms.
And his expression became serious.
— You got hurt?
Saddie puffed her cheeks.
— I'm fine.
Then she crossed her arms.
— Besides, I'm not a kid anymore.
Ethan raised one eyebrow.
— Oh really?
— Yes.
— Says the same girl who cried because she lost a stuffed animal.
— ETHAN!
Suddenly—
Footsteps echoed through the room.
Robert Caliente appeared.
The smile on his face was gone.
The moment he saw Ethan...
He swallowed nervously.
Ethan's expression immediately darkened.
A heavy aura filled the room.
— You.
Robert almost trembled.
— I-I...
He lowered his head.
— I know I was kind of an asshole...
Silence.
— But I didn't say those things because I truly meant them.
Ethan stared at him without expression.
— What you did isn't something easy to forgive, kid.
Robert clenched his fists tightly.
Tears slowly began forming in his eyes.
— I know.
— I said all that in the heat of the moment.
— I acted like a complete jerk.
He lowered his head further...
And suddenly kneeled.
— Please forgive me.
Silence dominated the room.
Saddie watched him quietly for a few seconds.
Then—
She smiled.
And extended her hand toward him.
Robert's eyes widened.
— I understand what you were trying to do.
— It was pretty stupid...
— But I forgive you.
Robert looked at her.
And what he saw...
Was a completely genuine smile.
Ethan scratched his cheek.
— Next time don't act like an idiot.
He pointed directly at Robert.
— Otherwise I'll make Ryu hate you.
Robert's face instantly turned pale.
— N-NO PLEASE NOT THAT!
Saddie burst into laughter.
Ethan laughed too.
Then Ethan slowly opened a small black case.
Saddie blinked.
— Hm?
Ethan smiled.
— Got a gift for you.
Saddie narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
— If it's those sour candies again, I'm rejecting it.
Ethan froze.
— Damn...
— I've been exposed.
She started laughing immediately.
— I KNEW IT!
But then—
Ethan fully opened the case.
And Saddie's eyes widened.
Inside were two legendary daggers.
Raijin.
Arashi.
The weapons that once belonged to the great Ray Stormbreak.
The blades reflected a soft bluish glow throughout the room.
Saddie became speechless.
Ethan smiled gently.
— I don't think they need me anymore.
He placed one hand on the Chaos Blade hanging at his waist.
— I already carry dad's sword.
— So I think it's better if grandpa's daggers stay with you.
— Because I can see that you're finally ready.
Silence.
Saddie stared at the weapons.
For several seconds...
She said absolutely nothing.
Then—
She closed the case.
And handed it back.
Ethan's eyes widened.
— Huh?
— Why?
Saddie smiled softly.
— Because I want to walk my own path.
She looked down at her own fists.
— I know how much weight those weapons carry in our family.
— But...
She looked directly at Ethan.
— What if one day you can't use the Chaos Blade anymore?
— Those daggers could still save you.
Ethan stood there silently.
Then slowly smiled.
And hugged his sister tightly.
— You really did grow up...
Then—
The announcer's voice exploded throughout the entire arena.
"IT IS TIME FOR THE GRAND FINAL!"
Ethan smirked.
— Well...
— Guess it's time.
He began walking away.
Saddie smiled.
— I know...
She slowly closed her eyes.
And repeated:
— BREAK YOUR LIMITS.
On the opposite side of the arena...
Elijah walked through the dark corridor alone.
His heart was beating fast.
Very fast.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
"Focus..."
"Just use it up to 20x."
"I'm gonna win."
"I'm gonna win."
"I'm gonna win."
Then the announcer's voice echoed loudly:
— ELIJAH! IT'S YOUR TURN!
He froze.
Took a deep breath.
And walked forward.
The light struck his face.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The noise was absurd.
Millions of people.
Screams.
Applause.
Flags.
Lights.
Elijah stood completely still.
— H-holy crap...
He looked upward.
And then he saw him.
Ryan.
Sitting in the VIP section.
Clapping.
Smiling.
And giving him a confident wink.
...
Something exploded inside Elijah's chest.
Determination.
He smiled.
— Alright...
— I can do this now.
The announcer then roared:
— ON ONE SIDE, THE MAN WHO POSSESSES MONSTROUS SUPERHUMAN STRENGTH!
— THE UNDERDOG OF THIS ENTIRE DRAFT!
— THE BOY WHO DID THE IMPOSSIBLE JUST TO STAND HERE TODAY!
— MAKE SOME NOISE FOR ELIJAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
The arena erupted.
— AND ON THE OTHER SIDE...
— THE PRINCESS OF THE STORMBREAK FAMILY!
— THE GIRL WHO COMMANDS THE SEAS LIKE THE ELDARA!
— AND MAKES LIGHTNING DANCE TO HER RHYTHM!
— SAAAAADDDDDIIIEEEEE STORMBREAAAAAAK!!!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Saddie entered the arena.
Eyes sharp.
Absolute determination.
Soft currents of lightning danced across her fingers.
The two finalists stood face to face.
Silence.
Elijah smiled.
— It'll be an honor fighting you, Saddie.
He slowly clenched his fists.
— But I didn't come here to lose.
Saddie smiled back.
And assumed her combat stance.
— Funny...
— Because I don't feel like losing either.
The two smiled.
And then—
The giant screen displayed:
FINAL DRAFT MATCH ELIJAH VS SADDIE STORMBREAK
The referee slowly raised his hand.
The entire stadium fell silent.
Millions of people around the world watched the battle through giant broadcasts and holographic projections.
Every eye was fixed on only two names.
Elijah.
Saddie Stormbreak.
Then—
— FIGHT!!
BOOOOOOOOM!!
The instant the match started, Elijah removed his glasses.
His hair shifted violently as an explosion of energy erupted around him.
An emerald-green aura flowed across his body like living circuits.
He slowly lifted his gaze.
— Overclock... 2x.
💥
The ground collapsed beneath his feet.
And he vanished.
He didn't run.
Didn't dash.
He simply disappeared.
— HOLY SHIT!! — Ryu Nox nearly fell out of his chair.
Saddie's eyes widened.
"Fast!"
But her instincts reacted immediately.
She twisted her body sideways.
FWWWSHH!
Elijah shot past her like a green lightning bolt.
However—
Saddie spun instantly.
Water and electricity gathered around her fist.
— Tempest Impact!
BOOOOOM!!
The punch slammed directly into Elijah's stomach.
His eyes widened violently.
— GHHAAAHH!!
Blood exploded from his mouth.
His body was launched upward through the air.
The crowd exploded in shock.
— SHE HIT HIM!!
— SADDIE LANDED IT!!
But before Elijah could regain control—
He looked upward.
And froze.
Saddie was already there.
Floating above him.
Lightning danced around her arms.
Another attack was already prepared.
— Got you!
BOOOOOM!!
Elijah crossed his arms in front of his body.
The impact detonated like thunder.
His body spun violently downward.
CRAAAAASH!!
He tore through part of the arena and slid across the battlefield.
Stone fragments exploded upward.
Dust engulfed everything.
Silence.
...
...
Elijah breathed heavily.
— Haa...
— Haaa...
He wiped the blood from his mouth.
And smiled.
— I underestimated you...
Slowly, he stood back up.
— But I think it's time I started taking this seriously.
Ryan Valeborn narrowed his eyes.
— Elijah...
The boy lowered his head.
Then moved one foot backward.
Arms bent.
A strange stance.
It looked...
Like Rock Lee opening the Inner Gates.
Then—
He shouted:
— OVERCLOCK 16X... RELEASE!!
...
...
...
The entire stadium froze.
Not because Elijah screamed.
But because the world itself seemed to change.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The arena sank.
Massive cracks spread across the battlefield.
Stones trembled violently.
Then...
They began floating.
The wind exploded in every direction.
Entire chunks of concrete rose into the air around him.
People in the crowd grabbed onto their seats.
Some screamed in fear.
Even the announcer held onto a pillar.
— W-WHAT IS THIS?!
Elijah's clothes trembled violently.
And then...
His body began to change.
First—
Glowing green veins appeared across his neck.
Then his arms.
Chest.
Abdomen.
Legs.
Face.
It looked like liquid energy flowing beneath his skin.
Every pulse illuminated his entire body.
His muscles contracted brutally.
His fingers cracked on their own.
His hands curled like claws.
And then—
His eyes slowly rose.
The pupils contracted.
...
Then expanded violently.
The humanity vanished from his gaze.
It was the look of something that had surpassed limits.
Something built purely for destruction.
His aura exploded outward.
But it wasn't fire.
It was a colossal emerald spiral.
Lightning ripped across the ground.
Floating stones shattered midair.
His breath escaped like superheated vapor.
BOOOM.
The ground beneath him sank even further.
Ryan's eyes widened instantly.
His instincts screamed at him.
Because in that moment...
Elijah no longer looked like a student.
He no longer looked like a hero.
He looked like a living weapon.
Up in the VIP stands—
Lorien Valtier burst into laughter.
— HAHAHAHAHA!!
Darius stared in horror.
— ARE YOU INSANE, LORIEN?!
He pointed toward the arena.
— THAT KID LOOKS LIKE A DAMN MONSTER AND YOU'RE LAUGHING?!
Kelvin Nox crossed his arms calmly.
— Relax.
— Looks like he's still conscious.
— Which means...
He smiled.
— He's a conscious beast.
Inside the arena—
Saddie observed Elijah silently.
And smiled.
— Good.
She closed her eyes.
— Then I can use 100% too.
Suddenly—
Water emerged around her body.
First around her arms.
Then legs.
Chest.
Back.
The water hardened.
Creating scales.
A living armor.
Leviathan Scales.
And then—
CRAAAAAAAAACK!!!
Lightning descended from the heavens.
One.
Two.
Ten.
A hundred.
The entire arena turned blue.
— AAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
Her aura exploded outward.
Neon blue.
Lightning spiraled around her body.
Her hair became completely white.
Her eyes turned entirely white as well.
Electric discharges leaked from them constantly.
Silence.
...
...
Lorien's eyes widened.
— Impossible...
Kelvin froze.
— She...
— She looks exactly like him...
Darius slowly stood up.
Veteran heroes trembled.
People from Ray's generation rose from their seats.
One man muttered:
— No...
Another whispered:
— She looks exactly like Ray...
— ...during his final battle.
Ethan's eyes widened.
— Saddie...
Ryu stared with his jaw hanging open.
— HOLY SHIT, ETHAN!!
— YOUR SISTER LOOKS LIKE A GODDESS!!
Suddenly—
Zen Kagetsune appeared beside them while casually eating something.
— And that kid looks like a beast.
He grinned.
— Good thing I bet one billion HeroCoins on him.
...
Everyone slowly turned toward him.
...
...
...
— YOU DID WHAT?!
Zen blinked.
— Huh?
Annie screamed:
— YOU BET MONEY ON THE DRAFT?!
Ryan covered his face with one hand.
— This guy never changes...
Back in the arena—
Elijah smiled.
But in that state...
His smile looked dangerous.
— Looks like...
His voice came out heavy.
— You were holding back too.
Saddie lowered into a combat stance.
Lightning danced around her body.
— Then fight me seriously.
Silence.
...
BOOOOOOM!!
The two vanished simultaneously.
CRAAAAACK!!
They reappeared at the center of the arena.
Fist against fist.
A shockwave exploded outward.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The entire stadium shook violently.
People nearly got thrown from their seats.
Hats flew away.
Cameras crashed to the floor.
Cracks spread through the arena walls.
Then—
Lorien sighed.
— Ah...
He raised one hand.
A gigantic golden barrier surrounded the entire arena.
BOOOOOOM!!
The shockwaves were absorbed instantly.
Lorien smiled.
— That's better.
At the center of the battlefield...
Elijah and Saddie stared directly at each other.
Two monsters.
Two storms.
Two overwhelming forces moments away from collision.
Their exchange of blows had already lasted several minutes.
For brief moments, Elijah dominated.
Then the next second, Saddie overwhelmed him in return.
The advantage shifted constantly.
Like the battle itself couldn't decide who was superior.
Saddie slowly floated upward.
Lightning began forming around her body.
She raised one hand.
— Take this!
TWO electric projectiles fired toward him.
BOOOOM!
Elijah dodged the first one at the last possible instant.
But the second came directly toward his face.
However—
TCH!
His hand closed around the projectile.
Electricity surged violently through his entire arm.
The audience froze.
— HE CAUGHT IT?!
With a grin on his face, Elijah twisted his body and hurled the attack back at her.
BOOOOOOM!
Saddie burst through the smoke instantly.
But Elijah had already vanished.
He appeared directly in front of her.
And then—
BANG!
A monstrous punch slammed into Saddie's face.
The impact distorted the air itself.
But...
nothing happened.
Silence.
Elijah's eyes widened.
Saddie remained perfectly still.
Her head hadn't even moved.
Then slowly...
a smile appeared on her face.
She had reached Phase 4.
The Leviathan Rewrite Flow had fully adapted.
The entire environment itself was evolving.
The water around them seemed to breathe.
The lightning no longer fell—
it was being pulled.
The battlefield felt like an invisible ocean under unbearable pressure.
It was as though the world itself had learned how to fight Elijah.
Up in the stands—
Ethan Stormbreak crossed his arms.
— Yeah... looks like it's over.
Ryu Nox sighed.
— It was fun while it lasted...
— Her ability is way too broken.
Elijah charged again.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Punch after punch.
Strike after strike.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Saddie simply watched him.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
A single punch from her landed directly on Elijah.
He bounced across the shattered ground several times before stopping.
Blood flowed from his mouth.
Kane
— That kid finally hit his limit... right, nerd?
Ryan smiled.
A strange smile.
Confident.
— Of course not.
Elijah slowly stood back up.
His body trembled violently.
Blood dripped down his face.
But then—
He started laughing.
— Hehehe...
He raised his head.
— Is that really all you've got?
He ripped off his shirt.
Lowered his stance.
And screamed:
— AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
ELIJAH — OVERCLOCK 20X "THE SYSTEM FAILURE"
At first...
there was no explosion.
There was silence.
An impossible silence.
Heavy.
As if the entire world had frozen for half a second.
Then—
tck.
His shoulder dislocated.
tck.
His ribs shattered.
Regenerated.
tck.
His heart surpassed human limits.
And then...
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
An emerald-green explosion swallowed the arena whole.
Lorien Valtier's barrier shattered instantly.
The walls cracked apart.
The ground beneath Elijah collapsed into a gigantic crater.
Not because he attacked.
But because he existed.
Green fissures spread across his skin.
Light escaped through them.
It looked as if a reactor inside his body was trying to tear through his flesh.
His hair rose completely upward.
Every strand resembled solid lightning.
Green particles continuously disintegrated and reconstructed around him.
Stones began floating.
Metal began floating.
Even the air itself felt heavier.
His eyes opened.
The pupils contracted and expanded at absurd speeds.
Data.
Trajectories.
Movements.
Everything processed simultaneously.
To Elijah...
the entire world looked slow.
Painfully slow.
Almost frozen.
Ryu instantly stood up.
— HOLY FUCK!!
Dante Valtier's eyes widened.
— This kid seriously has no limits!
Zen Kagetsune burst into manic laughter.
— HAHAHAHAHA!
— I told you that kid was hiding something!
Lorien activated the Eyes of Seraphim.
— How...?!
Darius slowly stood up.
— Your barrier is outdated, Lorien.
He extended one hand.
The shockwaves racing toward the audience suddenly slowed infinitely.
— That should make things easier.
Saddie looked genuinely shaken.
She blinked.
Elijah disappeared.
She turned her head.
Only to see a green blur behind her.
— What the—?!
BOOOOOOM!
A punch launched Saddie high into the sky.
And then it began.
BANG!
Punch to the stomach.
BANG!
Punch to the face.
BANG!
Kick.
BANG!
Another.
BANG!
Another.
The crowd lost its mind.
But Ethan wasn't smiling.
He looked worried.
Very worried.
Elijah slowly walked forward.
His body burned violently.
Steam escaped from his muscles.
Then—
— LEEEEEEEEEEET'S GOOOOOOO SADDIEEEEEEEEEEE!!
Ethan's voice thundered across the arena.
Saddie's eyes widened.
Something ignited inside her.
BOOOOOOOOOM!!
Lightning crashed down from the heavens.
She began floating once again.
Slowly raising one hand.
— THUNDER SPEAR!!
But Elijah stopped moving.
Smoke rose from his body.
And something changed.
All the energy inside him suddenly began converging toward the palm of his hand.
The glowing veins disappeared.
From his chest.
His face.
His arms.
Everything condensed into one point.
His arm began destroying itself.
Muscles tore apart.
Bone became visible.
Regenerated.
Then shattered again.
A small sphere formed.
Barely the size of a tennis ball.
But the pressure...
was monstrous.
Ryan's eyes widened immediately.
— No...
— He's not increasing Overclock anymore...
— He's compressing EVERYTHING into a single attack.
Elijah grabbed his own arm with the other hand.
The wind exploded outward.
Rocks began orbiting around him.
He raised his eyes.
And whispered:
— Overclock...
The sphere collapsed further.
Tiny.
Unstable.
Silent.
Then—
— SINGULARITY DRIVE!!
And Saddie screamed:
— THUUUUUUUNDER SPEAAAAAAAR!!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
The attacks collided.
The ground vanished.
The heavens trembled.
Clouds split apart.
A colossal explosion swallowed everything.
...
Silence.
...
Smoke.
An ocean of smoke.
Then—
A silhouette appeared.
One arm raised.
Body destroyed.
Blood pouring down.
It was him.
Elijah.
The entire arena exploded.
— ELIJAH!!
— ELIJAH!!
— ELIJAH!!
Ryan stood up.
And started clapping.
Zen stood up.
Then Dante.
Then Ethan.
Then everyone.
Lorien smiled.
— It seems...
— we've found another jewel.
At the center of the arena, Saddie lay on the ground.
Injured.
But smiling.
— Congratulations on your victory...
Elijah smiled back at her.
And collapsed.
THUD.
The announcer's voice exploded across the world:
— WE HAVE A WINNERRRRRR!!
— AND HIS NAME IS...
— ELIJAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!
As medics rushed toward the battlefield...
In a dark dimension...
someone was watching.
Sitting upon his throne.
Holding the Spear of Destiny.
Kai Hayashi smiled.
— Interesting...
— So new monsters have appeared on Earth...
His eyes glowed.
— This will be fun.