---
On the morning of that momentous day, the simulation arena of the Seoul branch of the Global Awakening and Hunters Association was about to witness an event unlike any since the association's founding.
The white marble stands were arranged in graduated tiers, capable of seating thousands of spectators. But today, there was no room for the public. Only the elite, only the powerful of this world, only those who held true authority.
At the highest section of the stands, where the gilded seats reserved for VIPs sat, the area remained empty.
Park Jeung-soo, the deputy branch director, stood at the official reception platform, holding a long list of names. He wore his formal black suit, his gray tie tightly fastened. Behind him stood six association employees in uniform, each carrying a communication device.
(Park Jeung-soo (in a booming voice)
"We will now begin the entrance of the distinguished guests. Let us be worthy of this solemn day."
He raised his hand and gestured toward the main entrance gate.
---
The main gate swung open wide, and Yoon Tae-woo, the first son of the Yoon Family, entered first. He was in his early forties, his thick black hair, his face stern as stone, wearing a traditional outfit of black silk embroidered with silver threads. Behind him came three elders in long white robes, their faces etched with years and experience. Then came Yoon Ah-soo, the granddaughter of the legend Yoon Sung-tai. She wore a simple white dress, her long black hair flowing over her shoulders. Her right hand rested on the hilt of her traditional sword, her eyes scanning the stands. Then Yoon Jun-hyuk, the second son, a man in his thirties wearing a stylish modern suit, a faint smile on his face.
(Yoon Ah-soo (whispering to her brother)
"Do you see them?"
(Yoon Jun-hyuk (in a low voice)
"I am not blind, Ah-soo."
(Yoon Ah-soo (coldly)
"Then do not chatter."
Yoon Jun-hyuk smiled widely but did not reply. They sat in their designated seats, all of them looking down at the empty arena below.
(Announcer (louder)
"The Yi Family... the lineage of military leaders. Representing the Minister of Defense, the first son Yi Min-hyuk."
Yi Min-hyuk entered accompanied by ten officers in elegant Korean military uniform. He was in his mid-thirties, his features sharp, his black hair short, his eyes piercing the space like arrows. His walk was strictly military, and every officer behind him wore a medal on his chest. They sat in their seats, none of them speaking. Only their eyes moved, watching, analyzing, recording everything.
(Announcer (in a resonant voice)
"The Han Family... the house of commerce and legal auctions. Supreme Advisor Han Tae-won."
Han Tae-won entered, a man in his fifties, stout, wearing an expensive gray wool suit, a gold watch gleaming on his wrist. Behind him, Han Yeon-soo, the eldest son, a man in his thirties wearing a dark blue suit, his face calm and his eyes cold. Then Han Ji-hoon, the second son. He was in his late twenties, his black hair dyed gray at the front, wearing a garish red suit, his shirt unbuttoned at the top. An arrogant smirk on his face, his eyes examining the place with disdain. Behind them, four elders in black suits, their faces as rigid as statues.
(Han Ji-hoon (to his elder brother, sarcastically)
"Did I not tell you this invitation would be boring? Look at these stiffs. As if they are at a funeral."
(Han Yeon-soo (coldly)
"Shut up. You are not here to enjoy yourself."
(Han Ji-hoon (with a light laugh)
"On the contrary. I am here to see the Phoenix up close. They say she is beautiful."
Han Yeon-soo shot him a sharp look but did not reply. They sat in their seats, Han Ji-hoon leaning his head back, one leg crossed over the other, as if at a cocktail party rather than a formal event.
(Announcer (solemnly)
"The Baek Family... the eternal ice warriors. The head of the family, Baek Ha-yoon."
A brief silence fell before Baek Ha-yoon entered.
She appeared to be in her thirties, but everyone knew she was over sixty-five. Her pure white hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, and her cold blue eyes sparkled like ice under the sun. Her face was indescribably beautiful, with delicate, soft features, as if carved from snow itself. She wore a long light-blue silk dress, her shoulders gracefully bare. Behind her came Baek Min-joo, the first daughter, in her thirties, short white hair, sharp blue eyes, wearing a tight white combat suit. Then Baek Ah-reum, the second daughter, long black hair, brown eyes, wearing an elegant pink dress. Finally Baek Woo-jin, the third son, in his twenties, short light-blue hair, pale blue eyes, wearing a simple blue suit.
(Baek Ah-reum (to her elder sister, softly)
"Look at them. All staring at Mother."
(Baek Min-joo (coldly)
"Mother is the strongest in this hall after the SSS. It is natural they look at her."
(Baek Woo-jin (timidly)
"I feel pressure... I cannot breathe..."
(Baek Min-joo (looking at him with disdain)
"Compose yourself. You are a son of the Baek Family."
They sat in their seats, and a chill naturally surrounded them, so much that the adjacent seats remained empty; no one dared approach.
(Announcer (loudly)
"The Geom Family... the rival swords of purity. The first son Geom Do-hyun, and the Grand Elder Geom Young-chul."
Geom Do-hyun entered, a man in his forties, tall, his long black hair tied in a bun behind his head, his face stern, his eyes piercing the space like a blade. He wore a traditional outfit of black silk embroidered with gold threads. Behind him, Geom Young-chul, the Grand Elder, an old man in his seventies, his hair completely white, but his eyes still sharp as a sword. He walked leaning on a wooden cane, but his steps were steady.
(Geom Do-hyun (softly to the Grand Elder)
"The Yoon Family is here. As expected."
(Geom Young-chul (in a rough voice)
"Leave them. Today is not their day. Today belongs to the Phoenix and the White Swordsman."
They sat in their seats on the opposite side of the stands, far from the Yoon Family, as if an invisible trench separated the two houses.
(Announcer (in a ringing voice)
"The Blue Dragon Guild. Master Song Seok-ho and his daughters."
Song Seok-ho entered, a man in his fifties, somewhat stout, but his eyes concealed sharp intelligence. He wore a dark blue suit, and on his chest was the guild emblem: a blue dragon coiled around a sword. Behind him, Song Ha-yoon, the first daughter, in her thirties, her face serious, her black hair tightly tied, wearing an elegant gray business suit. Then Song Min-ji, the second daughter, twenty-eight, her face cheerful, her short brown hair loosely flowing, wearing a light yellow dress. Finally Song Ji-ho, the third son, who was waving at the stands as if at a concert.
(Song Min-ji (to her brother)
"Can you not be serious for even one minute?"
(Song Ji-ho (with a wide smile)
"Seriousness is boring, sister. Look at these people. All pretending to be important. I am just reminding them we are human."
(Song Seok-ho (sharply)
"Sit down."
Song Ji-ho sat immediately, but his smile did not leave his face.
(Announcer (solemnly)
"The Black Panther Guild. Master Kim Tae-son."
Kim Tae-son entered, a man in his fifties, huge, bald, his face covered in scars. He wore a tight black suit that strained over his massive muscles. His walk was heavy as a bear's. He sat in his seat without looking at anyone, his eyes fixed on the arena.
(Announcer (loudly)
"The Falling Star Guild. Master Ha Ji-hoon."
Ha Ji-hoon entered, a man in his forties, thin, tall, wearing a shiny silver suit. His face was sharp, his small eyes piercing the space. A faint smile on his face, as if he knew something others did not. He sat quietly, his eyes moving slowly among the attendees.
(Announcer (in a high voice)
"The Crimson Fox Guild. Master Park Jin-ah."
Park Jin-ah entered, a woman in her forties, long red hair, her face beautiful but stern. She wore a tight red suit and high heels that added to her height. Her green eyes moved quickly, as if searching for something specific. They sat in their seats, and there was a subtle tension among the guild masters, each watching the other.
---
After the entrance of the families and guilds concluded, Park Jeung-soo stood again.
(Park Jeung-soo (in a booming voice)
"And now, the ambassadors of friendly nations."
The ambassadors began to enter one by one, each with a small delegation.
First, the ambassador of Britain, a man in his fifties, wearing a classic black suit, his face cold, with two assistants. Then the ambassador of Germany, a woman in her forties, short blond hair, wearing a gray suit, her blue eyes sharp. The ambassador of France, an elegant man in his fifties, wearing a light blue suit, with his wife in a white dress. The ambassador of Spain, a man in his forties, thick black hair, smiling widely. The ambassador of Italy, a woman in her fifties, wearing a luxurious purple dress. The ambassador of Switzerland, a man in his sixties, calm, wearing a simple gray suit. The ambassador of Portugal, a young man in his thirties, wearing a white suit.
Then the ambassador of India, a man in his fifties, wearing a traditional turban and a Western suit. The ambassador of Pakistan, a man in his forties, bearded, wearing a dark gray suit. The ambassador of Egypt, a man in his fifties, wearing a blue suit, his face tanned, carrying a black leather briefcase. The ambassador of Saudi Arabia, a man in his fifties, wearing a white thobe and agal, with two assistants. The ambassador of Iraq, a man in his forties, wearing a black suit, his eyes deep. The ambassador of Oman, a man in his fifties, wearing a white suit and a small turban. The ambassador of America, a man in his fifties, large, wearing a blue suit and a red tie. The ambassador of Canada, a woman in her forties, wearing a black suit. The ambassador of Japan, a man in his fifties, wearing a gray suit, bowing respectfully. The ambassador of China, a man in his fifties, wearing a dark blue suit, his face stern.
The ambassadors sat in their designated seats, and there was a low murmur among them, each speaking to his neighbor in his own language or in English.
---
Suddenly, everyone in the SVIP section stood.
No one had ordered them. No one had asked them. But they stood as one body, as if an invisible force compelled them.
(Park Jeung-soo (in a slightly trembling voice)
"And now... the two SSS-rank hunters... Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi... and Lukas Steiner..."
The main gate opened very slowly, as if afraid of what might emerge.
Then the aura appeared.
It was no ordinary aura. It was heavy as mountains, sharp as swords, cold as ice, hot as fire. It pressed down on everyone in the stands, even those in the highest seats.
Some A-rank and below hunters fell to the ground immediately, their faces pale, their breaths short, their hands trembling. Even S-rank and SS-rank hunters struggled to remain standing.
(S-rank hunter (whispered with difficulty)
"I cannot... breathe..."
(Another A-rank hunter (fell to his knees)
"This... this power... cannot be endured..."
(Kim Tae-son (true SS+, gripping his chair arm tightly)
"This is... the SSS level..."
(Baek Ha-yoon (true SS+, her face pale but steady)
"I have not felt such pressure in decades..."
(Song Seok-ho (true SS, sweating profusely)
"Oh... my God..."
(Han Ji-hoon (true S+, had fallen to the ground, his face touching the marble)
"I am... going to die..."
His elder brother Han Yeon-soo looked at him with disdain, though he himself was trembling and clinging to his seat.
Then Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi entered first.
He was a man in his fifties, but his face looked as youthful as a man in his forties. His black hair was short, streaked with a few white strands. His black beard was thick and neatly trimmed. His brown eyes were deep, carrying the wisdom of millennia and an indescribable serenity. He wore a long white traditional robe, a small white turban, and a short black cloak over his shoulders. He walked slowly and confidently, as if the ground beneath his feet knew who walked upon it.
Behind him entered Lukas Steiner.
He was a man in his forties, his long blond hair tied in a ponytail, his blue eyes icy. His face was ruggedly handsome, as if carved from the Alps. He wore an elegant white suit, with a long red coat over it. His chest was slightly open, revealing a gold pendant. He walked with wide strides, his eyes moving quickly, watching everything.
The two stood in the middle of the aisle leading to the stands, and looked at the audience.
Then they released their auras again.
The pressure was now ten times greater. The marble walls of the stands began to crack lightly, and the armored glass of the upper boxes emitted an ominous creak.
More hunters fell. Even some SS-rank hunters nearly collapsed, clinging to their seats with their fingernails.
(Geom Do-hyun (his face white as paper)
"This... this is not pressure... this is death itself..."
(Geom Young-chul (Grand Elder of Geom, his eyes nearly bursting)
"I have not seen them before... but I heard stories... and the stories were not exaggerated..."
(Ambassador of Egypt (had fallen to the ground, trying to breathe)
"Oh my God... oh my God..."
(Ambassador of Saudi Arabia (trembling violently, his agal fallen to the ground)
"There is no power nor strength except in God..."
(Yoon Ah-soo (gripping her sword tightly, preventing herself from falling)
"I will endure... I will endure..."
(Song Ji-ho (laughing with difficulty, his face pale but still smiling)
"This... this is amazing... I want to reach this level one day..."
His father Song Seok-ho looked at him with frightened eyes, but could not reply.
Then, suddenly, the aura stopped.
The pressure vanished as if it had never been. Everyone fell to the ground or onto their seats, breathing heavily, feeling their bodies as if they had returned from the dead.
(S-rank hunter (crying without realizing)
"I survived... survived..."
(Another hunter (laughing hysterically)
"This is the SSS rank... this is the peak of humanity..."
Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi raised his hand slowly.
(Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi (in a calm, deep voice that filled the space without shouting)
"Peace be upon you, and the mercy of God and His blessings."
Everyone fell silent. No one dared to speak.
(Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi (with a faint smile)
"I thank you for attending this momentous day. We are here to witness the birth of new legends, or perhaps... to confirm that true legends still walk among us."
He looked at Lukas Steiner.
(Lukas Steiner (in a rough voice, in English, immediately translated through translation devices)
"What Saif said is correct. Today is a historic day. Not because we are here, but because those who will be tested today... are the future of this world."
The two sat in their gilded seats at the highest point of the stands, and all the attendees looked at them with awe and fear.
The Italian ambassador whispered to the French ambassador: "Did you see his eyes? As if he can see what will happen a hundred years from now."
The French ambassador replied in a trembling voice: "I saw death itself in his eyes."
---
The main gate of the arena opened.
James Carter entered first, wearing his usual black suit and silver tie. His face was serious, his eyes moving quickly.
Behind him, Anas Sharif Yazeed and Park Ji-won.
Anas wore his elegant black suit, his short white hair gleaming under the lights. His face was calm as a lake, expressionless. He walked slowly, his hands in his trousers pockets.
As for Ji-won, she wore her long purple dress, her fiery red hair swaying with every step. Her golden eyes sparkled with confidence, a faint smile on her lips.
(Whispers in the stands)
"She is the Phoenix... she truly is beautiful..."
(Another whisper)
"Look at the man... as if he does not care about any of this..."
The three stood in the middle of the arena, then another gate opened on the opposite side.
Six people emerged.
They walked confidently, their auras different from Saif and Lukas's, but still powerful. Three of them wore combat gear, while the other three were more elegant.
The six stood in a row facing Anas and Ji-won.
The first stepped forward, a Chinese man.
(Li Wei (in a sharp voice)
"I am Li Wei, from China. My epithet is Vortex Blade. I will be your opponent today, Mrs. Park."
He smiled faintly, then bowed slightly.
The second stepped forward, a huge Frenchman.
(Pierre Dubon (in a deep voice)
"I am Pierre Dubon, from France. My epithet is Human Fortress. I am honored to face you."
The third stepped forward, a slender Canadian.
(Ethan Kruger (in a quiet voice)
"I am Ethan Kruger, from Canada. My epithet is Poison Phantom. Do not worry, the poison does not kill... quickly."
He chuckled lightly.
The fourth stepped forward, a Japanese man.
(Takahashi Rin (with a wide smile)
"I am Takahashi Rin, from Japan. My epithet is Flying Blade. And I, Mr. Anas, will be your opponent. I hope you grant me the honor of a good fight."
He smiled confidently, his hands on his sword.
The fifth stepped forward, an American.
(Jackson Ford (loudly)
"I am Jackson Ford, from the United States. My epithet is Hellstorm Hurricane. I will burn you, my friend. Do not take it personally."
He laughed loudly.
The sixth stepped forward, an Iraqi.
Mohamed Adil had fair-tanned skin, wavy black hair shining like silk, large honey-golden eyes gleaming with a faint light. He wore a pure white cloak and a modern black suit. A small pendant on his chest glowed with silver light.
(Mohamed Adil (in a warm, quiet voice)
"I am Mohamed Adil, from Iraq. My epithet is Light Knight."
He paused and looked at Anas. He looked into his cold gray eyes, then smiled warmly.
(Mohamed Adil (in Arabic, in a friendly voice)
"Peace be upon you, brother Anas. I am pleased to meet you. I have heard much about you. I hope we can be friends after this battle, not enemies."
He raised his hand to shake.
Anas looked at him for a moment, then a faint smile appeared on his face. He raised his hand and shook it.
(Anas (in Arabic, quietly)
"And upon you be peace and the mercy of God and His blessings. I am also pleased to meet you. I was wondering when I would see an Arab at this level."
(Mohamed Adil (with a light laugh)
"We are few, but we exist. And when we exist, we do it in style."
The two smiled, then Mohamed Adil stepped back to his place among the other opponents.
(James Carter (raised the microphone, his voice filling the arena)
"Alright. Now, let me explain the rules of this simulation."
He turned to everyone, then to Anas, Ji-won, and the six opponents.
(James Carter (formally)
"This simulation arena is no ordinary arena. It uses advanced subspace technology."
He raised his hand, and a large blue screen appeared in the air.
```
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ [SYSTEM ALERT: Simulation Arena] ║
╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ■ Type: Subspace Replica ║
║ ■ Capacity: Up to Universal Level ║
║ ■ Safety Protocol: Complete regeneration upon exit ║
║ ■ Reality Index: 99.97% ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
```
(James Carter (explaining)
"This arena creates a complete subspace, very realistic, and can withstand any battle intensity depending on the participants' power. Do not worry. Even if one of you dies inside the subspace, you will exit alive and healthy, in the same condition as when you entered. Wounds heal, death is erased. That is the association's guarantee to you."
(Whispers in the stands)
"Even death? That is unbelievable..."
(James Carter (seriously)
"The only rule is: do not use any kind of eternal demonic power. That is strictly forbidden."
(A voice from the stands (questioning)
"Eternal demonic power? What is that?"
(James Carter (ignoring the question)
"Also, no hiding, no deception, or any form of indirect confrontation is allowed. The fight must be direct and face-to-face primarily. There are limits to any attempt to hide. If any of you exceeds these limits, you will be disqualified immediately."
He looked at the opponents, then at Anas and Ji-won.
(James Carter (loudly)
"The first match will be Park Ji-won against her three opponents. The second match will be Anas Sharif Yazeed against his three opponents."
He paused for a moment.
(James Carter (formally)
"You have ten minutes to prepare. The first round begins in ten minutes."
---
James Carter withdrew to the side of the arena.
Anas approached Ji-won. He looked at her with his calm gray eyes.
(Anas (telepathically to Ji-won)
"Do not use more than 10% of your power. No more. This is important."
(Ji-won (telepathically to Anas)
"I know. Do not worry. I will play with them a little."
She smiled confidently.
(Anas (telepathically)
"We came here to make history. Do not disappoint me."
(Ji-won (telepathically)
"I will never disappoint you."
Anas moved away from her, then a servant came to him.
(Servant (bowing respectfully)
"Mr. Anas, please. Your seat is in the SVIP section, next to the great hunters."
(Anas (calmly)
"Let us go."
The servant led him through a side passage, and he ascended to the highest part of the stands, where Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi and Lukas Steiner were seated.
Anas stood before them.
He looked at Lukas Steiner first. The Swiss man looked back with his cold blue eyes.
(Anas (quietly, in English)
"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Steiner. Thank you for attending to evaluate me."
He extended his hand.
Lukas looked at his hand for a moment, then shook it firmly.
(Lukas Steiner (in a rough voice)
"I did not come to evaluate you. I came to see if you deserve the SSS rank."
(Anas (with a faint smile)
"I hope I do not disappoint you."
Then he turned to Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi.
He looked into the Omani man's deep brown eyes. He felt a strange warmth envelop him, not a physical warmth, but a spiritual one.
(Anas (in Arabic)
"Peace be upon you, Uncle Saif. I am Anas Sharif Yazeed. The only Egyptian in this hall."
Saif smiled warmly and stood from his seat.
(Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi (in Arabic)
"And upon you be peace and the mercy of God and His blessings. Welcome, my son. I have heard much about you. You are the talk of the world these days."
He opened his arms.
Anas embraced Saif. It was not a formal embrace, but a warm one, as if meeting a relative after a long absence.
(Anas (quietly)
"It is an honor to meet you, Uncle Saif. I have read much about you. You are a living legend."
(Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi (laughing softly)
"Living legends are those who make history, not those who read it. And you, my son... it seems you are making your history now."
Anas sat in the seat next to them.
Saif looked at Lukas, then at Anas.
Suddenly, the two released their auras again.
The pressure was tremendous. The marble walls cracked, the armored glass fractured, and even some of the gilded seats shook.
Many hunters in the lower stands fell. Even some of the high-ranking figures in the SVIP section struggled to breathe.
But Anas...
Anas sat as he was. He did not move. He did not flinch. He was slowly drinking the glass of water placed before him, his eyes fixed on the arena.
Lukas increased the pressure. Saif increased the pressure.
The pressure was now so great that the arena walls themselves began to crack, and the energy barriers around them emitted sharp alarm sounds.
But Anas was unaffected.
He set his water glass down calmly and turned to them.
(Anas (perfectly calmly)
"Are you done?"
Lukas was stunned. His eyes widened.
(Lukas Steiner (in a slightly trembling voice)
"How... how did you do that? This is not... this is not natural..."
(Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi (smiled widely, then placed his hand on Anas's shoulder)
"You are not an ordinary human, my son. You are... something else."
The pressure stopped. The aura vanished as if it had never been.
(Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi (proudly)
"Well done. Well done, my son. It has been a long time since I saw anyone withstand our auras together with such ease."
(Anas (with a faint smile)
"Thank you, Uncle Saif. I just... like to always be prepared."
Saif sat back down and placed his hand on Anas's shoulder.
(Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi (murmuring)
"You do not know how happy I am to see an Arab at this level. I am proud of you."
(Anas (quietly)
"The honor is mine."
---
The ten minutes passed quickly.
Park Jeung-soo stood.
(Park Jeung-soo (loudly)
"The preparation period is over. The first round begins now. Contestants, proceed to the arena."
Ji-won descended from the stands to the arena with confident steps. Her fiery red hair flew behind her, her golden eyes shining.
Her three opponents stepped forward: Li Wei, Pierre Dubon, Ethan Kruger.
But before they reached the middle of the arena, someone was looking at Ji-won differently.
Han Ji-hoon.
He was sitting in the Han Family section, his head tilted slightly, his eyes fixed on Ji-won. A dirty smile on his face, his eyes moving slowly over her body.
(Han Ji-hoon (loud enough for those around him to hear)
"Wow... look at this woman. Her hair like fire, her eyes like gold, and her body..."
He licked his lips.
(Han Ji-hoon (lecherously)
"I wish I could have a woman like her... or maybe have her herself. Who cares about her husband? They say he is just an ordinary hunter. Perhaps I will visit her after the match, offer her my special services..."
He laughed dirtily and looked at his elder brother.
(Han Ji-hoon (provocatively)
"What do you think, Yeon-soo? Is she not beautiful?"
(Han Yeon-soo (coldly)
"Shut up. You disgrace the family."
(Han Ji-hoon (laughing)
"The family? The family is the one that should be ashamed of itself. Look at these stiffs. They are all afraid of her husband. But I am not afraid. He is just an ordinary Egyptian. What can he do?"
At the highest section of the stands, in the SVIP section, Anas was sitting.
He heard every word.
He did not need telepathy. He did not need superpowers. The man's voice was loud enough, and the stands were quiet enough.
Anas felt something.
Something he had not felt for eons. For countless ages. Since he was still a mysterious entity on his black throne.
Rage.
It was not ordinary anger. It was not human anger. It was absolute rage. Rage befitting an entity that had the power to erase worlds with a finger.
The arena stopped.
No, not just the arena. The whole world stopped.
In his imagination, Anas saw everything destroyed. The world split in two. Dimensions tore apart. Time stopped, then rewound, then stopped again. Universes collapsed upon themselves like burning paper.
He saw himself standing above the ashes of everything. Above the end of everything. Above nothing.
He felt no pleasure. He felt no satisfaction. He only felt emptiness. An emptiness deeper than any emptiness he had ever known.
Then he felt a hand on his shoulder.
(Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi (in a calm, warm, wise voice)
"Patience, my son. Patience."
Anas looked at Saif. Saif's eyes looked into his, and in them was deep understanding. The understanding of one who had seen much. The understanding of one who had suffered much.
(Saif bin Hamoud Al Busaidi (quietly)
"Do not do anything now. You are not here for him. You are here for yourself. For your wife. For your daughter. Do what you want after you achieve the SSS rank. Then, no one can question you."
Anas looked at Saif for long seconds.
Then, suddenly, he laughed.
It was not a hysterical laugh. It was not an angry laugh. It was a soft, genuine laugh, as if he had just heard a clever joke.
(Anas (quietly)
"Understood, Uncle Saif."
He looked at Han Ji-hoon in the lower stands. The man was still smiling, unaware how close he had been to death.
(Anas (to himself)
"I will deal with you later."
His eyes returned to the arena.
---
In the arena, Ji-won stood before her three opponents. She was smiling.
(Park Jeung-soo (loudly)
"Prepare yourselves..."
He raised his hand.
(Park Jeung-soo (in a voice that filled the arena)
"Activate subspace."
A large blue screen appeared in the air.
```
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ [SYSTEM ALERT: Subspace Activated] ║
╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ■ Generating replica environment... ║
║ ■ Adapting to participants' power level... ║
║ ■ Safety protocols engaged... ║
║ ■ Ready. ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
```
Space split. The arena divided into four parts in an instant. In the center, a new battlefield formed, completely different from the original arena. Its ground was of hard black stone, its sky blood-red, and around it translucent energy barriers shimmered with all the colors of the spectrum.
Ji-won and her three opponents stood at four corners of the arena, each a kilometer apart.
Ji-won looked at the red sky, then at her opponents.
She smiled.
(Ji-won (in a clear voice, filling the entire subspace)
"Let us enjoy ourselves."
And the chapter ended.