198 DAMEN HAS MET HIS MATCH
Damen fired another arc of lightning—faster, brighter, sharper—only to watch it vanish harmlessly into the device in Wellia's hand.
"Well," Damen said, lowering his arm. "You do come prepared."
Then he laughed, a short, amused sound. "Of all the things you could bring to a fight… you brought me a gift."
He focused on the device, his live interface flickering to life before his eyes.
Name: Voltage Accumulator
Description: A device that absorbs and stores high voltages of electricity as energy. Can be dismantled to obtain: Core of Electricity (Level 2).
Damen's smile widened.
"You cannot defeat us with your lightning bolts!" Wellia screamed, defiant but trembling.
Damen sighed. "Then I'll use something else."
His next strike wasn't lightning… it was pure kinetic pressure.
The air around the trio folded inward, an invisible collapse of momentum.
"Momentum Collapse."
Then Damen moved… his fists blurring, delivering a barrage of chain punches so fast the sound fractured into echoes.
The dome rippled, cracked, and finally burst.
The three Rank B fighters were thrown together in midair before crashing to the floor in a tangled heap—their armor dented, the ground beneath them fractured.
Damen descended slowly, his cloak fluttering in the residual static. He crouched beside Wellia and touched the Voltage Accumulator.
His Vision Connect flared again.
"Congratulations Voltage Accumulator successfully assimilated."
"Core of Electricity – Level 6 activated: 32/38."
A flicker of satisfaction crossed his face. "Nice, two extra Core of electricity for free."
The drone referee descended, flashing its verdict.
"Damen Dark wins."
The crowd erupted again…half in awe, half in fear.
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"Unbelievable…" Dean Aelion muttered, pacing furiously across the office floor. "Dreyfuss, Wellia, and Uma…all three of them..defeated. Their bodies are broken, still unconscious in the hospital… Even if they recover, they'll make no progress this year."
Professor Liric sat stiffly, his hands folded. "We still have the top four who haven't challenged Damen Dark yet."
Aelion spun toward him. "Then we stop them. Issue an order—no more personal ranking duels, effective immediately."
Before Liric could respond, the door burst open. Professor Keris stumbled in, out of breath. "You'll never guess…Damen Dark just issued a formal challenge to the top four ranked students!"
"What?" Aelion froze, his voice trembling. "He's challenging all four?"
Keris nodded grimly.
Aelion slumped into his chair, burying his face in his hands. "It's over… our university's elite class will be ruined."
He glared up at Liric. "This is all your fault!"
"Me?" Liric's voice cracked. "How is it my fault? It's all because of him—because of Damen Dark!"
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[The Multi Meta Auditorium]
This was the last of the ranking duels. If Damen won this time, he would become number one. There would be no one left to challenge.
The bell rang.
Damen stood alone in the center of the arena, waiting. The crowd was silent — the air thick with expectation.
Then, the gates opened.
Three figures emerged, the strongest students in the university. Each wore their own elaborate combat gear, adorned with the insignia of their great houses.
These were not just students … they were heirs of the major families.
The first to step forward was Rela Draxis of the Draxis family, known for their terrifying mastery of plant metamorphosis.
Name: Rela Draxis
Strength: Rank C Meta: Rank BB
Next came Kooma Aetheris, wielder of light manipulation and conjuration.
Name: Kooma Aetheris
Strength: Rank C Meta: Rank BB
The third challenger, Luna Trionix, never appeared. The Trionix family were Damen's business associates — and rivals of the Nuralith. They would not risk offending Damen and helping their sworn enemy.
Finally, the first rank stepped into the arena: Carl Nuralith.
Name: Carl Nuralith
Strength: Rank C Meta: Rank BBB
The Nuralith family's ancient art, Bio-Hydromancy, gave them power over living water constructs.
"Damen Dark," Carl said coolly, "we finally meet. I've heard plenty about you."
Damen's eyes narrowed.
He knew this man. He was the one who tried to force Eryn into marriage. The one who pulled the strings behind every challenger that came before.
"Why?" Damen asked quietly. "Your goons couldn't do your dirty work, so now you came to do it yourself?"
Carl's smirk faltered, then returned. "There's no point hiding it. Yes … it was me. Those weaklings failed me. So, I'll have to kill you myself."
Damen tilted his head slightly. "Be careful what you wish for," he said. "It might come back to haunt you."
Before Carl could respond, Kooma stepped forward, impatience flaring in his voice. "Are you two done talking? Are we fighting or not?"
He rose into the air, spreading his arms wide.
The sky itself seemed to bend to his will. The night darkened; even the arena lamps flickered and dimmed. All light was drawn toward him, absorbed into his glowing body.
Damen recognized the technique. The signature power of the Aetheris. He'd seen Cyara use it before … but Kooma's control was on an entirely different level.
Then came the blast.
A beam of condensed light ripped through the air toward Damen.
He smiled …. and vanished.
The beam struck empty ground, vaporizing the sand.
But there was no pause … Carl had already moved. From his outstretched hands, serpents of living water lashed forward, striking with liquid precision.
Damen twisted and rolled, barely avoiding the snapping tendrils.
Then, two massive whales formed from churning water and came crashing down toward him. The impact thundered through the arena, sending waves splashing across the tiles. Damen darted aside, the spray slicing across his face like knives.
He had no choice — he sprinted past the collapsing mass of water, only to freeze as another laser beam tore through the air, forcing him to halt mid-step.
"Dammit," he hissed under his breath. "I have a bad feeling about this."
For the first time, he wasn't in control.
These weren't random challengers anymore.
They were the best students of Silver City University, heirs of the richest, the most powerful in the city…. and their training showed. Every one of their attack was timed, synchronized, and deliberate.
Together, they moved like a machine honed by years of coordination.
"Damen Dark!" Kooma shouted from above. "You cannot defeat us!"
Damen's eyes narrowed. Then he noticed something — something crucial.
Rela Draxis hadn't moved yet.
A tremor rippled through the ground.
Suddenly, the arena floor erupted. Vines burst from the earth, coiling upward in a frenzy. They wrapped around him, forming a dome of living thorns that snapped shut like a cage.
"Dome of Entrapment"
Rela's power surged through the roots, their veins pulsing with green energy. The vines constricted, layer upon layer tightening until even the air felt heavy.
"It took me time to prepare this, but you fell straight into it", Rela laughed.
For the first time that day, it seemed Damen Dark had finally met his match.
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