Misa had been watching the arena fights for a long time.
Her eyes followed every clash, every movement, every fall—but her mind was filled with questions. Questions that she didn't voice. Questions that stayed locked within her own thoughts, slowly growing heavier with each passing moment.
---
As the remaining days of the tournament passed—
Lumian moved forward in an unusually ordinary manner.
Nothing flashy.
Nothing loud.
Yet—
He kept rising.
Faster than anyone expected.
With Reyax's power supporting him from within, he climbed higher and higher in the rankings. And with that rise—
Enemies began to form.
Many of them.
Some openly hostile.
Some silently watching.
---
Sumian was one of them.
But his situation was different.
He was… afraid.
---
His mind refused to function properly. His thoughts were scattered, unstable, as if something was constantly disturbing his reasoning.
He was stronger than Lumian.
That was a fact.
Yet—
Why was he afraid of someone weaker?
He couldn't understand it.
And that confusion only made the fear worse.
---
Elsewhere—
At the peak of Belmal Mountain—
A massive palace stood silently under the open sky.
Beside it, a waterfall split into two streams, rushing downward endlessly, its sound echoing through the air like a distant roar.
---
Inside the palace—
A large, empty room.
Still.
Silent.
---
Two figures were present.
One was a young man.
Tall. Fair-skinned. His hair reached down to his shoulders, swaying slightly as he leaned back, calmly smoking from a hookah. Thin trails of smoke curled around him, drifting lazily through the quiet room.
In front of him—
A ninja-like figure knelt, head lowered, posture respectful.
---
"Master…" the ninja spoke carefully. "The Yenex Stone has been glowing for several weeks now. At first, I thought it was due to light reflection… but now—it truly seems to be shining on its own."
---
The young man smiled faintly.
"So… in the end," he murmured, "you're quite late."
---
Inside his mind—
Something had already begun.
---
He looked at the ninja.
"Write a letter."
---
The ninja straightened slightly.
---
"Write— I, the leader of the Yenex Sect, will set aside my identity as its leader… and as a *****… I wish to inform you that—it has begun to shine."
A brief pause.
"I am uncertain about this matter. It would be better if you came and spoke with me in person."
---
The letter was simple.
Too simple.
And strangely—
Unusual.
---
The ninja couldn't fully understand it.
"…Sir, who should I send this to?"
---
The young man turned slightly.
"Send it through Lexia."
---
He stood up.
Then slowly walked toward the balcony beside his room.
---
Outside—
Water flowed endlessly downward.
The sound of voices echoed faintly from far below.
Countless people.
Countless lives.
---
Yes—
This was the Yenex Sect.
---
Meanwhile—
At the arena—
---
Today was the semifinal.
---
Due to having the highest points—
Lumian had already advanced to the finals.
---
So now—
Four participants remained.
Two rings.
---
Brook versus Rebecca.
Feng Shu versus Zhu Lai.
---
Yet—
There was no overwhelming excitement.
No loud cheers.
Most people were not focused on these fights.
---
They were waiting.
For the final.
---
Today—
Even Lymian himself had come to watch.
Along with his entire family.
---
Chesey.
Lymian.
Lu.
Laifian.
Keri.
Lumias.
Luisa.
Sumian.
Saimia.
Samuel.
Venz.
And many more.
---
Almost all high-ranking members of the clans—and their families—were present.
---
Lumian stood near the edge of the arena.
Leaning slightly.
Quiet.
---
Inside—
He was speaking with Reyax.
---
"Master… today, I will take all my revenge," Lumian said.
---
Reyax smiled faintly.
"Why?" he replied. "What happens if you don't?"
"Must you take it?"
---
A drop of tear slipped from the corner of Lumian's eye.
"I will destroy my grandfather… and my greatest enemies," he said.
---
Reyax raised an eyebrow.
"Who?"
---
Lumian hesitated briefly.
"…Lymian. Chesey. Sumian."
---
Reyax laughed.
A low, amused laugh.
"Ah… what are you saying?" he said. "Are you joking?"
---
"No," Lumian replied. "I'm serious. Even if I die today, I have no regrets… but I will take them with me."
---
Reyax's smile deepened.
"I see… no problem," he said calmly. "But I won't let you die."
---
Inside his mind—
The flow is moving in the right direction.
---
Then Reyax spoke again—
"Do you know what's written in one line of Rise of Evil?"
---
Lumian stayed silent.
---
Reyax continued—
"The world is a place of action… which at times becomes a place of trial… and at times, a place of indulgence."
---
Then—
He added another part.
---
"In one passage—Liku gets lost in a forest. There, he finds a Bukeli flower. A flower with the power of invisibility."
"He takes it."
---
"A fairy appears."
'Human child! How dare you pick that flower? You insignificant being!'
---
"But Liku…"
Reyax paused slightly.
---
"…was already evil."
---
"He used the flower."
"He became invisible."
"And then—"
---
"He tortured the fairy."
---
"There was no cruelty he didn't commit."
---
"After losing her dignity… the fairy never returned to her tribe."
---
Silence.
---
Reyax looked at Lumian.
"What did you understand from that?"
---
Lumian frowned slightly.
"…What is there to understand?" he said. "There's nothing."
---
Reyax smiled.
A cold, knowing smile.
"It's fine to become cruel for revenge," he said softly.
"But…"
"Don't lose your humanity."