The sound of metal exploded throughout the entire arena the moment Kael's and Mira's swords collided, while cracks spread across the stone platform beneath their feet from the force of the very first clash.
The pressure of the chi burst violently in every direction, to the point that some third-generation disciples felt a slight tremor in their chests despite the defensive formation surrounding the arena.
And in the next moment—
The two of them retreated backward at incredible speed.
Kael slid across the stone floor with his twin swords, leaving two long trails behind him, while Mira landed lightly at the edge of the platform, her hair swaying with the wave of chi filling the surroundings.
But she did not stop.
Instead, she immediately launched herself toward Kael at terrifying speed, so fast that most disciples could barely follow her movement.
One disciple said in shock:
"So fast!"
And just before she reached him—
She vanished.
"Hah?!"
She appeared directly behind Kael, her sword aimed at his neck with deadly speed, but—
Kael instantly turned around as if he had expected it from the very beginning.
Screeeech!
His swords collided with hers and effortlessly pushed away her strike while sparks of chi exploded violently around them.
But the strange part—
Mira did not seem annoyed at all.
On the contrary…
She smiled, then lightly stepped backward, her eyes fixed on him.
She said while casually spinning her sword between her fingers in a provoking manner:
"Kael… why do you seem a little tense today?"
Then she tilted her head slightly.
"I thought that after blocking that strike, you would immediately attack me and try to take me down… but you stopped. Why?"
Kael smiled coldly and said:
"This is not the time for talking."
Then he slightly raised one of his swords and pointed it toward her.
"But I simply want to give you some dignity before you lose… instead of ending this battle in a humiliating way from the very start."
Mira's smile froze for a moment, then a clear expression of disgust appeared on her face.
"Haaah?"
She narrowed her eyes.
"Really now…?"
And in the next instant—
She charged at Kael with even greater speed than before, her sword held straight ahead while the chi around her body rose sharply.
Then she shouted:
"First Martial Art… Mirage Symphony!"
And in a single moment—
Her body doubled.
Then doubled again.
Then multiplied even more.
Until the entire arena was filled with dozens of Mirages of Mira moving at different speeds.
Kael's expression changed slightly.
"Hah…?"
One of the copies rushed toward him and slashed with its sword.
He blocked it instantly.
But another appeared behind him.
Then another from the right.
Then two more from above.
The attacks began raining down on him from every direction in a completely insane manner while the sounds of metal collisions exploded continuously across the platform.
Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech!
The disciples began rising from their seats.
"What kind of madness is this?!"
"Which one is the real one?!"
As for Kael—
He was blocking every strike with terrifying speed, his twin swords moving violently like walls of steel.
But—
Among all those moving copies… within an incredibly tiny fraction of a second…
He saw something.
Between the gaps, his eyes widened slightly.
Behind all the copies—
The real Mira was there, her sword aimed directly toward him.
Kael instantly cursed:
"Damn it…!"
"I'm too late!"
And at that very moment—
All the copies vanished at once.
Then Mira's voice echoed throughout the arena:
"Second Martial Art… Tears of the Silver Moon!"
Suddenly—
A massive barrage of shining chi needles exploded toward Kael.
Thousands of tiny needles shot forward at terrifying speed, to the point that even the air itself began emitting sharp tearing sounds.
Kael's expression finally changed.
"That bitch…!"
Then suddenly—
He smiled.
"Really?!"
And just before the needles reached him—
He violently raised both swords, and chi exploded from his body.
"First Martial Art… Roar of the Twin Dragons!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Two enormous dragon heads formed from chi appeared above his swords, then released a terrifying roar that shook the entire arena.
The sound alone destroyed the barrage of needles completely.
But it did not stop there—
The shockwave continued directly toward Mira herself.
Her eyes widened.
"Damn—!"
BOOOOOOM!
The impact struck her directly, and dust exploded across the platform while she was forced several steps backward, a small stream of blood flowing from her nose from the sheer force of the sudden backlash.
Below the arena—
The Fifth Elder's eyes widened slightly, then he said inwardly with clear admiration:
"He really is strong…"
Then he looked toward the defensive formation surrounding the arena.
"If not for this second-level formation… that shockwave would have reached the audience itself."
But then the corner of his mouth rose slightly.
"And yet… Mira is still standing."
"That girl is no less dangerous than him…"
Then he chuckled softly.
"Truly… this year is incredible."
Inside Faiser's mind—
The book was screaming excitedly as if watching an entertaining stage performance.
"Hahahahahahaha! The dragons destroyed those needles like children's toys!"
Then it laughed even harder.
"But that crazy girl still hasn't died! I love this!"
As for Faiser—
He simply watched silently, then suddenly sighed and said:
"The view from here is annoying."
The book instantly replied:
"Hah?"
Faiser said:
"I'm going to sit near Shin."
Silence filled his mind for a second.
Then the book burst into laughter.
"Hahahahahahaha! Near Shin?!"
Then it mockingly added:
"Or near his sister, you hypocritical bastard?!"
Faiser coldly replied:
"Shut up, you pervert."
He calmly walked between the seats until Shin and Shirin noticed him.
Shin immediately raised an eyebrow.
"Oh… so the missing man finally appeared."
Faiser arrived and sat beside him calmly while his eyes immediately returned to the arena.
Shin asked:
"Where the hell have you been all these days?"
Then he stared at him closely.
"I genuinely thought you had left the sect."
Faiser simply replied:
"I was inside my room."
Shin sighed.
"You really are a strange person."
As for Shirin—
She was silently staring at him.
Her gaze looked as though she had wanted to say something for a long time, yet did not know how to begin.
Faiser noticed that from the corner of his eye, but did not comment.
Shin broke the silence once again and asked:
"So?"
He pointed toward the arena.
"What do you think about the fight? Who do you think will win?"
Faiser answered immediately without hesitation:
"I don't know."
Shin raised an eyebrow, so Faiser calmly continued:
"You never know the outcome of a battle until it ends. Sometimes one very small thing can overturn everything. One mistake, one moment of hesitation, one incomplete movement… all of these are enough to completely change the result."
Then he looked toward the arena again.
"So let's just… watch."
And all eyes returned toward the battle.
Mira was still standing, with a thin trail of blood running from her nose.
As for Kael—
He finally smiled with a provocative expression.
"What?"
He chuckled lightly.
"Are you finally starting to feel weak?"
Then he pointed one of his swords toward her.
"You never belonged here in the first place, Mira."
An arrogant smile appeared on his face.
"You're just a weak girl."
At that moment—
Mira clenched her fist slightly and said inwardly:
"This idiot…"
Then she narrowed her eyes.
"He really is stronger."
She took a slow breath.
"He reached the Solid Vessel Realm…"
Then she looked toward the chi flowing around his body.
"His vessel is full and disturbingly stable… it seems he gathered an enormous amount of energy during his outside missions."
Silence filled the arena for a moment.
Then—
She suddenly smiled.
Slowly raising her hands, her eyes began filling with clear madness.
"Haaaaah… and what about it?!"
Her voice suddenly echoed throughout the arena.
"I don't care!"
BOOOOOOM!
The chi around her exploded violently as she charged directly toward him with all her strength.
Then she screamed while laughing:
"You want revenge against Faiser, you idiot!"
"You want to crush someone who's still only in the Pulsating Seed Realm!"
She laughed even harder.
"Hahahahahahahahaha!!! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!"
And in the next instant—
The chi around her sword ignited in a terrifying circular pattern.
"Third Martial Art… Burning Lotus Heart Art!"
She screamed with all her strength:
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
As for Kael—
His smile widened in a crazed manner.
"Finally…"
He slowly raised both swords.
"Finally your real face has appeared…"
Then savage red chi exploded around his body.
"You calm little girl…!"
Veins of chi surfaced across his arms while an overwhelming pressure wave covered half the arena.
"Second Martial Art…"
The ground beneath his feet began cracking more and more.
"…Butcher of Hell."
And at the moment the two of them were about to collide—
Every single person inside the arena…
Felt that something terrifying was about to happen.