The arena had barely recovered from the aftermath of the previous battle.
Dust still lingered in the air where Eris and Nina had fought with overwhelming magic. Cracks spread across the arena floor, clear evidence of how fierce their clash had been. In the end, the victor stood tall—Nina.
The spectators were still discussing the intense battle when the announcer's voice echoed across the arena.
The next match had arrived.
And this was the one everyone had been waiting for.
A deep murmur spread through the audience.
Rey vs Nolan.
Two figures slowly stepped forward from opposite sides of the arena.
Inside his mind, Rey remained calm.
"Nolan is a warrior who has reached a very high level… I cannot underestimate him."
Both men began walking toward the center of the arena.
Every step Nolan took seemed to shake the surrounding ground slightly. A powerful aura began radiating from his body, spreading across the entire battlefield like a pressure that crushed the air itself.
The spectators immediately felt it.
Wilson's eyes widened slightly as he felt the overwhelming presence.
"This aura…"
Tristan muttered in disbelief.
"This… this is the kind of power that could defeat high-level monsters."
He stared at Nolan in amazement.
"If Master Nolan had faced that Frost Dragon back then… I'm certain he would have defeated it in a short time."
Alex, who stood beside them, clenched his fist unconsciously.
Even he was slightly shocked.
"Master Nolan… the man known as the Silver Spear…"
"His strength is truly extraordinary."
His eyes slowly moved toward Rey, who stood silently across the arena.
"Rey… can you really win?"
Down in the arena, Rey quietly watched Nolan walking toward him.
Nolan's aura surged wildly, spreading outward like a storm.
But strangely—
That aura did not affect Rey at all.
Not even slightly.
Without anyone realizing it, Rey's own power naturally suppressed Nolan's aura. The two forces collided invisibly, canceling each other out.
Nolan immediately felt something strange.
His brows slightly furrowed.
Inside his mind, he spoke silently.
"Ace… even my aura cannot touch you."
His lips slowly curved into a faint smile.
"I can feel it… your strength is definitely not just empty talk."
Meanwhile, among the spectators, Nina watched the arena with excitement.
She crossed her arms proudly.
"That's the power my father gained from fighting powerful monsters for years."
Her voice carried confidence.
"That's why he earned the title of the nation's War Commander."
Beside her, Princess Elizabeth nodded slightly.
"That is true."
Her calm voice carried authority.
"During the invasion from a neighboring kingdom decades ago, Master Nolan played a crucial role in defending the country. He saved countless citizens… and even the entire Kingdom of Christope itself."
Her gaze slowly shifted toward Rey.
"So Duke Ace should be careful."
Nina glanced toward Eris and smirked slightly.
"Sorry, Eris."
She shrugged casually.
"My father is extremely strong. I think your leader will lose in a very short time."
Before Eris could respond—
A confident voice suddenly came from behind them.
"You don't know Duke Ace's true strength."
Everyone turned their heads.
Emily stood there, her eyes shining brightly as she stared toward the arena.
"So just wait and see the result."
Her expression was filled with absolute belief.
Then she suddenly stood up from her seat and shouted toward the arena.
"Dear… you must win!"
Her voice echoed across the stands.
"I believe in your strength!"
Hearing Emily's enthusiastic cheer, Rey froze for a moment.
A faint blush appeared on his face.
He quickly turned his head away in embarrassment and rubbed his forehead awkwardly.
"Seriously…"
He muttered under his breath.
After taking a deep breath, Rey lightly slapped both of his cheeks.
"Alright."
His eyes slowly sharpened.
"It's time to get a little serious."
BOOM!
A terrifying surge of power exploded from Rey's body.
A dense and wild aura erupted outward, crashing directly into Nolan's aura like a violent tidal wave.
The spectators gasped.
Nolan's powerful aura was being pushed back.
Bit by bit—
It shrank.
Slowly swallowed by Rey's overwhelming presence.
Nolan's eyes widened slightly.
A bead of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"What… what kind of power is this?"
His heart pounded.
"It can actually suppress my aura?"
Then suddenly—
Nolan smiled.
"Good."
He tightened his grip.
"Ace… you really are strong."
His voice carried excitement.
"I'll fight seriously as well."
However, deep inside his thoughts, Nolan admitted something he would never say aloud.
"Even though he hasn't gone all out yet…"
"His power already surpasses that old man."
He was referring to none other than the Grand Elder of the Arden Family.
With a smooth motion, Nolan reached behind him.
Clang.
He drew out his weapon.
A magnificent silver spear appeared in his hand.
Its blade shimmered with elegant silver patterns that reflected the arena lights beautifully. The shaft of the spear was wrapped in golden accents, giving it a noble and powerful appearance.
It was a weapon that instantly attracted attention.
Endless Spear
Type: Spear
Rarity: Epic
Equipment Class: Warrior / Assassin
+80 Physical Attack
+150 HP
+15% Cooldown Reduction
+18% Movement Speed
+5% Mana Regeneration
Unique Passive — Divine Justice:
After casting a skill, the next attack within 3 seconds deals additional damage equal to 70% Total Physical Damage, plus 15% True Damage that ignores both Physical and Magic Defense.
Rey quietly activated Invisible Sight.
The moment he saw the weapon's status—
He paused.
"Epic Tier?"
He asked the system inside his mind.
"Is that stronger than Legendary?"
The system calmly responded.
"Epic Tier artifacts are items that are almost equivalent to Legendary Tier equipment."
"However, they are slightly below Legendary Tier overall."
The system continued explaining.
"Even so, certain Epic-tier items possess unique effects that can sometimes surpass those of Legendary items."
Rey remained silent for a moment after hearing the explanation.
Across from him, Nolan stood proudly.
He lowered his spear forward, the sharp tip pointing directly at Rey.
Up in the spectator stands, Princess Elizabeth stood gracefully.
She raised her hand toward the referee.
"Begin the match."
The referee nodded.
Then he raised his hand high.
"Three…"
The entire arena held its breath.
"Two…"
Both warriors remained perfectly still.
"One…"
"Start!"
The battle had begun.
But strangely—
Neither Rey nor Nolan moved.
The spectators looked confused.
Several seconds passed.
Still nothing.
A strange silence filled the arena.
Then suddenly—
A violent pressure erupted across the battlefield.
BOOM!
Invisible forces clashed violently in the air.
The spectators gasped.
Nina's eyes widened in shock.
"They're… fighting with their auras?"
Alex nodded calmly.
"Experienced warriors often test their opponent's strength before attacking."
He folded his arms.
"They evaluate each other carefully so they don't make fatal mistakes in battle."
Then Alex glanced at Nina.
"Have you ever fought a battle where your life was truly on the line?"
Nina fell silent.
She had no answer.
At that moment, Princess Elizabeth suddenly spoke.
Her eyes shifted toward Alex thoughtfully.
"Sir Rockers is quite wise."
She smiled slightly.
"I received reports stating that the members of Clan Origin have been growing stronger rapidly."
She continued calmly.
"And it seems this improvement came from carefully designed strategies and planning created by an important individual within the clan."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"So I believe that person must be you."
Alex chuckled softly.
"That's just a small matter."
He glanced back at her.
"However…"
His eyes narrowed with interest.
"I can also see that Your Highness possesses intelligence far above the average nobles of this kingdom."
He gestured subtly toward the royal guards stationed around the arena.
"Even the royal soldiers are extremely disciplined and well organized."
Alex tilted his head slightly.
"So tell me…"
"Are you also a strategist within the royal army?"
Princess Elizabeth simply smiled mysteriously.
She gave no answer.
Behind Alex—
Floryn had been watching the entire conversation.
Her expression slowly darkened.
Without warning—
Pinch!
She twisted the back of Alex's waist hard.
Alex nearly jumped from the pain.
But somehow he forced himself to keep smiling.
Sweat slowly rolled down his forehead.
Wilson and the others witnessed the entire scene.
They simply shook their heads helplessly.
The atmosphere in the arena turned heavy as both warriors finally prepared to move.
Rey slowly released a portion of his power.
Not all of it.
Just one–third.
Yet even that small fraction was terrifying.
A deep rumbling sound echoed across the battlefield.
The stone floor beneath Rey's feet began trembling violently, and small cracks spread outward like spider webs across the arena tiles.
Dust rose into the air.
The spectators gasped.
Even the royal guards exchanged uneasy glances.
The pressure in the arena had become suffocating.
Across from him, Nolan narrowed his eyes.
"That's only a portion of his strength…"
"Unbelievable."
Without another moment of hesitation—
Nolan moved.
Whoosh!
His figure disappeared like a flash of lightning.
In less than a heartbeat, Nolan had already appeared directly in front of Rey.
His silver spear thrust forward with deadly precision.
The spear tip shot toward Rey's chest like a streak of silver light.
But Rey reacted instantly.
Without drawing any weapon—
He threw a punch.
His fist collided directly with the incoming spear.
BOOM!
The impact exploded across the arena.
A violent shockwave spread outward from the collision point, sending dust and debris flying in every direction.
The sheer force of their clash shook the entire arena structure.
Princess Elizabeth's eyes widened slightly as she sensed the destructive energy.
Immediately, she raised her hand.
"Activate the magic barrier."
Several royal mages responded at once.
Complex magic formations lit up around the arena walls, creating a glowing barrier that reinforced the structure and reduced the damage spreading across the battlefield.
Even with the barrier active, the arena continued trembling.
Back in the arena—
Nolan quickly leapt backward, creating distance between them.
His eyes were filled with disbelief.
Rey had blocked his spear attack—
with his bare hand.
In the spectator stands, Nina's expression froze.
Her mind struggled to process what she had just witnessed.
"In the past… Father once killed a high-level monster with a single thrust."
"That monster's body shattered into pieces from that attack."
Her heart pounded.
"And Duke Ace… just blocked it with his bare hand?"
Her eyes trembled slightly.
"Am I dreaming?"
Meanwhile, Nolan flexed his hand slightly after landing.
A dull pain traveled through his arm.
He frowned.
"Hm…"
He quietly examined his palm.
"Just from a bare-handed strike…"
His gaze returned to Rey.
"His strength surpasses every opponent I've fought before."
He paused for a moment.
"…except that one person."
Rey calmly adjusted his stance.
His posture lowered slightly, preparing for another attack.
Then he spoke in a composed tone.
"Master Nolan."
His eyes sharpened.
"Please be ready."
Before Nolan could respond—
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion echoed across the arena.
Rey vanished from his position.
His speed far exceeded Nolan's expectations.
In the blink of an eye, Rey appeared in front of him and threw a devastating punch.
Nolan barely managed to react.
"Too fast!"
He could hardly even track Rey's movement.
Without hesitation, Nolan quickly summoned the shield hanging on his back.
A large metallic shield appeared in front of him.
Falcon Shield
Type: Shield
Tier: Rare
Equipment Class: Warrior
Base Stats:
+120 Physical Defense
+150 HP
+10% Cooldown Reduction
+5% Movement Speed
+35% Hybrid Defense (excluding base stats from Falcon Shield)
Unique Effects:
Damage Reduction
45% reduction against Physical and Magic damage, increasing up to 180% if the attacks continue consecutively. Duration: 5 seconds.
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Life Steal Conversion
Every 15% of damage received converts into HP for the user for 5 seconds.
Cooldown: 15 seconds
Additional Effect:
If damage is received from a skill, Life Steal increases by 50% for 3 seconds.
Cooldown: 18 seconds
A split second later—
Rey's punch landed directly on the shield.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact was monstrous.
Nolan braced himself and poured all his strength into resisting the attack.
Even so—
He was blasted backward.
His boots scraped violently across the arena floor as he was pushed dozens of meters away.
Stone shattered beneath his feet.
He nearly slid out of the arena boundary before finally stopping.
The spectators fell silent.
Then chaos erupted.
Everyone present stared at the battlefield in disbelief.
Nolan's trusted subordinates began sweating coldly.
They knew that shield very well.
The Falcon Shield was the strongest defensive item Nolan possessed.
Its defensive ability and unique effects were almost comparable to Legendary-tier equipment.
Yet even with that shield—
Nolan had still been pushed back so far.
Nina clenched her fists tightly.
Her heart trembled.
Seeing her father almost lose ground like that filled her with shock and frustration.
Meanwhile, Princess Elizabeth watched the battle closely.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
A soft blush colored her cheeks as she observed Rey's overwhelming strength.
Inside her mind, a quiet thought formed.
"Duke Ace… you are truly powerful."
Her gaze lingered on him.
"I will make sure you become mine."
But suddenly she remembered something.
Her expression slightly stiffened.
"No… I'm not interested in those men."
"…and besides, Father has not approved anything yet."
Back in the arena—
Rey launched another attack.
He suddenly leapt high into the air.
His body twisted slightly, his arm pulling back like a baseball pitcher preparing to throw a powerful fastball.
Energy gathered around his fist.
The pressure in the air intensified.
The wind began spiraling violently around him.
The power behind that punch compressed into a single point, forming a force that resembled a miniature tornado.
Nolan raised his Falcon Shield again.
He was being pushed into a corner.
His feet were already dangerously close to the edge of the arena.
If this attack landed—
He might be forced out.
Just as Rey descended—
Nolan suddenly roared.
"Berserker!"
A violent surge of energy erupted from his body.
His aura exploded outward.
His physical abilities instantly multiplied 2.5 times.
With that amplified power—
Nolan easily deflected Rey's incoming attack.
The clash echoed like thunder.
Inside his mind, Nolan calculated rapidly.
"My Berserker skill consumes mana quickly."
"If I don't end this soon…"
"…I'll be at a disadvantage."
Without wasting another second—
Nolan activated another skill.
"Distortion Space."
Several glowing cubes suddenly appeared around him.
They floated in midair like strange magical constructs.
With a swift motion, Nolan launched them toward Rey.
Then he pointed his spear forward and spoke firmly.
"Distortion Binding."
The cubes instantly activated.
Thin beams of light shot out from them like threads, wrapping around Rey's body.
At the same time, several cubes began launching rapid spear-like projectiles.
Nolan's attacks rained down relentlessly.
The battlefield became a storm of piercing strikes.
From the outside, it looked as though Rey was being overwhelmed by countless spear attacks.
However—
Rey's Absolute Veil activated.
The damage he received was drastically reduced.
Even so, the barrage continued without pause.
Rey smiled faintly despite the attacks.
"Master Nolan."
His voice remained calm.
"Your skills are quite troublesome."
Nolan smirked.
"It's not over yet, Duke."
Suddenly—
The cubes began expanding.
They grew larger and larger, forming a distorted space around Rey.
The air warped violently.
At the center of the formation, a dark vortex appeared.
It looked like a miniature black hole.
The vortex began pulling everything toward its center.
Rey immediately resisted the suction with all his strength.
His muscles tensed as he struggled against the gravitational force.
Then he summoned his Dragon Spear.
With a powerful swing, he slashed toward the vortex.
But strangely—
His attack passed through it as if it didn't exist.
Up in the spectator stands, Alex frowned.
He watched Rey carefully.
From his perspective, Rey suddenly looked like he had gone crazy.
Rey was swinging his weapon at empty air and making strange movements for no apparent reason.
Alex muttered in confusion.
"What is he doing…?"
Before anyone else could answer—
Nina spoke.
"That's my father's passive skill."
Everyone from Clan Origin turned toward her.
"It's an illusion ability."
Nina explained calmly.
"The opponent begins seeing visions that my father has already visualized in his mind since the battle began."
Her eyes returned to the arena.
"It activates ten seconds after Distortion Space is used."
She continued explaining.
"The cubes you see are actually just projectiles that trap the opponent inside a designated area."
Her voice became more serious.
"The victim cannot escape the illusion unless the projectiles—the cubes—are destroyed."
Alex's expression darkened.
His fingers clenched tightly.
"Rey…"
His voice was low.
"Did you fall into Nolan's trap?"
Nina crossed her arms.
"There's something else you should know."
Her tone became firm.
"Every single opponent who has been caught in this skill…"
She paused.
"…has never escaped."
Even she felt uneasy remembering it.
"I once got trapped inside that illusion myself."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"And I couldn't find any way out."
She glanced back at the arena.
"In the illusion, we can't see anything that reveals the cubes exist."
Her voice grew quieter.
"So unless someone somehow destroys the real projectiles…"
She shook her head slowly.
"The victim will remain trapped inside the illusion forever."
Inside the illusionary space, Rey stood motionless.
The distorted world around him twisted like a broken reflection of reality. The sky above looked unnatural, and the ground beneath his feet felt strangely hollow.
Rey slowly lowered his Dragon Spear.
Something felt… wrong.
He recalled what had just happened moments earlier.
He had clearly attacked the black hole that was pulling him in.
Yet—
Nothing happened.
No reaction.
No resistance.
It was as if his attack had passed through empty air.
Rey frowned slightly.
"That's strange…"
He closed his eyes briefly, forcing himself to think calmly.
"Why do I feel like something is wrong here?"
His instincts were rarely mistaken.
After a moment, Rey spoke inside his mind.
"System."
His voice was calm but serious.
"Do you sense it too?"
He paused.
"There's something strange about this space."
A moment later, the familiar voice of the system responded.
"Host is currently trapped inside an illusion-type skill."
Rey's eyes widened slightly.
"An illusion?"
The system continued.
"Host must remain calm and search for a way to escape the illusion."
Rey slowly exhaled.
"No wonder…"
He looked around again carefully.
"That explains the strange feeling."
Then he asked again.
"If this is an illusion… is there a way for me to escape?"
The system responded.
"Searching for solution…"
A translucent system panel appeared in front of Rey.
Loading symbols flickered across the screen.
Rey clicked his tongue lightly.
"Great."
"Even the system needs time to analyze."
While waiting, Rey carefully examined his surroundings.
He looked toward the sky.
Then toward the ground.
The entire space felt artificial.
He crouched slightly and touched the floor.
"If I think about it…"
Rey began analyzing the battle step by step.
"Nolan released those cubes first."
"Then they surrounded me."
"After that, this space appeared."
His eyes narrowed.
"Could it be…"
Before he could finish the thought—
The system spoke again.
"The trigger mechanism for this illusion is a projectile device capable of generating a spatial illusion environment."
Rey slowly smiled.
"I knew it."
He stood up straight.
"It must be those cubes."
He raised his head again, staring toward the sky.
Earlier, he had sensed something strange above him.
The sky looked slightly… different.
Not obvious.
But subtle enough for someone with sharp instincts to notice.
Rey murmured quietly.
"Maybe… with Invisible Sight."
His eyes sharpened.
"I might be able to see the irregularity."
Without hesitation, he activated the ability.
Invisible Sight — Active.
Rey's vision changed instantly.
The entire illusionary space began revealing hidden layers of magical structure.
Energy lines.
Distorted spatial fragments.
And then—
Rey spotted it.
High above him.
A small glowing object embedded within the illusion.
The system reacted immediately.
Ding Dong.
A notification appeared before him.
"System has detected a projectile device responsible for generating the illusionary space."
Another prompt appeared beneath it.
"Would the host like to deactivate it?"
Two options appeared on the panel.
Rey didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
The moment he selected the option—
CRACK.
The sky above him shattered like glass.
The illusion collapsed instantly.
The false world fragmented into countless pieces before disappearing completely.
In its place—
The real arena appeared.
Stone walls.
Magic barriers.
And the shocked faces of countless spectators.
Rey stood in the center of the arena once more.
He smiled faintly and looked directly at Nolan.
"Master Nolan."
His voice carried confidence.
"I've already figured out how to counter your skill."
Across the arena, Nolan's eyes widened slightly.
"How…?"
Inside his mind, disbelief surfaced.
"How did he discover the weakness of my skill so quickly?"
For years—
No one had ever escaped that illusion.
Yet Rey had done it in mere moments.
Nolan let out a low breath.
Then he smiled.
"Well done, Duke Ace."
His voice carried genuine admiration.
"You are the first person who has successfully escaped that illusion."
He raised his spear again.
"But…"
His eyes sharpened.
"You should be careful with what comes next."
Suddenly—
A violent surge of power erupted from Nolan's body.
BOOM!
The entire arena shook violently.
The pressure in the air multiplied instantly.
In the spectator stands, Nina's eyes widened in disbelief.
"How…?"
She stood up from her seat.
"How did Duke Ace escape the illusion?"
Her voice trembled slightly.
She knew her father's ability very well.
That illusion had trapped countless powerful opponents.
Yet Rey broke free.
Beside her, Alex suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
His voice echoed loudly.
"Of course he did."
He crossed his arms proudly.
"That's Ace."
Alex's eyes shone with confidence.
"He always finds a way to solve problems that even I can't handle."
However—
Suddenly Alex felt something.
His smile faded.
His expression became serious.
A terrifying aura was spreading across the arena.
Alex muttered under his breath.
"Nolan…"
His eyes narrowed.
"His strength exceeds my expectations."
"He's incredibly strong."
Nearby, Nina suddenly dropped back into her seat.
Her face had turned pale.
"T-That…"
Her voice trembled.
"That is my father's true power."
Her hands shook slightly.
"He has never released that strength before."
The spectators around them fell silent.
Then suddenly—
King Carlos spoke.
Sweat slowly rolled down his temple as he stared toward the arena.
"That power…"
His voice was heavy.
"It is the manifestation of a strength he was born with."
Everyone turned toward the king.
Carlos continued slowly.
"He sealed that power away decades ago."
His gaze darkened slightly.
"After an incident that shook his entire life."
The revelation stunned everyone.
Even Nina looked shocked.
She turned toward the king.
"Your Majesty…"
Her voice was uncertain.
"What do you mean?"
King Carlos let out a deep sigh.
"Nolan once asked me to keep this secret."
His eyes remained fixed on the battlefield.
"But now…"
He paused.
"I believe you all deserve to know what truly happened."
Before he could continue—
BOOOOOM!
Another massive explosion erupted from the arena.
The power released by Nolan surged even further.
The magic formation created by Princess Elizabeth's mages began flickering violently.
Cracks of magical energy spread across the barrier.
The royal mages panicked.
"Your Highness!"
"The barrier is weakening!"
"We can't hold it much longer!"
They stared toward Nolan in disbelief.
They had never imagined his power could reach such a terrifying level.
In the arena—
Rey felt the overwhelming pressure as well.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Nolan…"
He muttered quietly.
"His strength…"
Rey clenched his fists.
"It surpasses the Orc General I fought before."
Even Rey had struggled against that monster.
Yet Nolan's current aura felt even more dangerous.
Then—
Nolan raised his head slowly.
His entire body was surrounded by violent energy.
His voice echoed across the arena.
Deep.
Powerful.
Serious.
"First Form…"
The ground beneath him cracked violently.
Energy spiraled around his body like a storm.
Then Nolan spoke the final word.
"Awaken."