"And we have our winner! Jacob Ironfell!" The games master announced, sending the crowd into applause, people from far and wide were already lined up to talk to Jacob, but Xenia swooped in and managed to rescue the boy.
Zaheer on the other hand, hung his head in shame and walked slowly out of the arena, he was eventually cornered by Savant…
"You failed, boy," Savant had a stern look on his face, like he was about to slap the boy.
"I-I'm sorry sir, I-I tried my best-"
"Save it! I don't wanna hear another word from you, oh, and you already know what this means, you will go back to the sect compound and continue your meaningless life," Savant retorted and immediately walked out.
Zaheer fell to his knees, a tear running down his face, he was given a task that seemed simple enough but somehow he had failed, he wouldn't get to train with the master anymore.
Jacob, who had been watching the scene unfold, felt a little pity for Zaheer, so he walked up to him. Zaheer noticing the boy, immediately wiped his face and put on his bravest look.
"You don't have to act tough Zaheer, I saw how your master spoke to you, that's no way to treat your disciple." Jacob told him.
"You know nothing!" Zaheer hissed back, "I failed and this is my punishment."
Jacob smirked, thinking of how naive the boy was, but he also saw that the boy was loyal, it would be good to befriend such a person for the future.
"Yes, you deserved to be punished for failing to defeat someone as strong as me," Jacob began, "In fact, you're lucky he doesn't kick you out of the sect."
"W-what?" Zaheer had a puzzled look on his face, he didn't understand how Jacob could switch from being sympathetic to taunting him all of a sudden.
"That's right! after all, you did fail to win, and unfortunately for you there's no second chances."
"S-shut up!" Zaheer clenched his jaw, shame and anger battling in his eyes.
"I'm only joking Zaheer, you need to learn to lighten up, we should be friends, who knows, you could learn a thing or two from me." Jacob said playfully.
"Pfft. Why would I be friends with someone like you, all you've done is taunt me."
"That's what friends do, silly."
They talked for a while, unconsciously learning a bit about each other, Zaheer opened up about his family, about Jennifer, about his life at the sect and Jacob did the same.
It was finally time for Jacob to go, Xenia had called out to him.
"You can stay as long as you want Zaheer, we have many rooms."
Jacob didn't just want Zaheer as a friend for strategic reasons, growing up in the castle, being the only child; it took its toll, he had been lonely a couple of times, having only the system to keep him company.
The sun was slowly fading away as Jacob and Xenia walked through the darkened hallways of the castle.
"You haven't said a word about the duel." Jacob muttered.
He was half expecting praises from Xenia or some kind of analysis but to his surprise she was quiet.
"There is nothing to say, young master, you surpassed my expectations as usual."
Jacob smiled, feeling accomplished as the doors of the dining room were opened for him.
A celebration ensued, one that lasted all night.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
That night Jacob sat in his room alone, reminiscing about his fight with Zaheer, he remembered the cloning ability that Zaheer had and decided to try something.
'System, open up my time-space domain.'
He was immediately warped into a vast magnitude of space with turquoise-blue pillars and floors, 'Hmm, this makes the spirit ring look kinda worthless now.' He mused inwardly as he looked around.
'Description.'
"Perfect. This is just what I need."
He then created an exact replica of himself, he stared at it for a moment, and decided it wasn't enough, he created another and they both sat down in the lotus position and began to cultivate.
He looked at them and felt proud of himself. 'At least they won't be lonely,' he snickered, slowing time down and snapping out of the time space.
If he wanted to get stronger, or strong enough to face the outside world, then it wasn't enough to wait around for the Regulator's blessings.
The second awakening was an unforeseeable event, and he surely wasn't counting on a third awakening, therefore, he would acquire this power himself.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
"That brat!" Savant slammed his hand on a table, instantly smashing it into pieces, "I refuse to be humiliated like this!"
"But what else can you do? you set the terms and the boy won." A beautiful woman with long black hair flowing all the way down to her waistline sat cross-legged on the other end of the room, smoking a cigar.
"Ohh there's lots I can do, just wait and see, and Zaheer! what a weak little boy, couldn't even stand his ground against such petty moves." Savant seethed, stomping around the room like an enraged animal, "I should've known there was nothing special about him."
"Calm down, you're just very angry right now, no need to take it out on poor Zaheer." The woman spoke, she was Lyra, a close confidante of Savant, the two were rumored to be in a relationship but that was a matter concerning only the both of them.
"Don't tell me to calm down Lyra, you saw how that boy toyed with him, humiliated him out there!"
"Yes I did," she stood up, walked towards him, and began running her hand on his back, "I'm just saying, take a deep breath and plan your next move properly."
"I'll show him, I'll show him and his snickering grandfather."