The combat field was almost empty.
The remaining candidates had been directed to other arenas.
Murmurs still echoed in the distance—
but here—
silence prevailed.
---
Remiel walked without hurry.
As if nothing had happened.
As if the previous fight… meant nothing.
---
— You're really not going to explain?
---
The voice came from behind.
---
Laylah.
---
She walked toward him.
Her steps were light—
but her presence…
intense.
---
Remiel didn't stop.
---
— Explain what?
---
She narrowed her eyes.
---
— Don't play dumb.
---
Now she was walking beside him.
---
— That wasn't Sequence 10 power.
---
Silence.
---
— Not Sequence 9 either.
---
She crossed her arms.
---
— And definitely… not something normal.
---
Remiel kept walking.
---
— You saw it.
---
— I did.
---
Immediate response.
---
— And that's exactly why I'm asking.
---
They walked in silence for a few seconds.
---
Laylah took a breath.
---
— Before that…
---
She raised her hand slightly.
---
— You need to understand the system better.
---
Remiel glanced at her.
---
— Each Path in the Wheel of Divinity…
— has specific names for each Sequence.
---
He remained silent.
---
— In my case — she continued — the Path of Space.
---
A slight distortion formed around her.
---
— Sequence 10: Observer of the Void.
— Sequence 9: Controlled Space.
---
The air around her bent faintly.
---
— Each advancement isn't just power…
— it's transformation.
---
Remiel absorbed the information.
---
— And yours?
---
She asked directly.
---
— What's the name of your Sequence?
---
Silence.
---
— I don't know.
---
Laylah frowned.
---
— Of course you don't…
---
She sighed softly.
---
— Then let's get to the main point.
---
She stopped.
---
And looked straight at him.
---
— What did you do in that fight?
---
Silence.
---
Remiel looked at her for a few seconds.
---
As if deciding.
---
Then—
---
— I control the flow of time.
---
The wind passed between them.
---
Laylah didn't react immediately.
---
But her eyes…
narrowed.
---
— Control… of time?
---
She repeated, more quietly.
---
— Partially.
---
Remiel continued.
---
— It's still limited.
---
— Limited…
---
She took a small step forward.
---
— What you did didn't look "limited."
---
Silence.
---
Remiel looked away.
---
— There were three actions.
---
She stayed silent.
Listening.
---
— The first…
---
His eyes deepened slightly.
---
— I altered the flow of time in his mind.
---
Laylah frowned.
---
— In his mind?
---
— Thoughts are events.
---
Simple.
---
— If I interfere at the moment they form…
— I can erase them.
---
A brief silence.
---
Laylah processed it.
---
— So…
— you made him forget what he was going to do?
---
— Yes.
---
Direct.
---
She took a small step back.
---
— That's not normal…
---
— No.
---
Without emotion.
---
— It isn't.
---
Silence.
---
— The second action…
---
Remiel raised his hand slightly.
---
— I enter a state I call… erased time.
---
The air around him distorted faintly.
As if something there was… out of sync.
---
Laylah frowned.
---
— Erased time…?
---
— In that state…
---
He continued calmly.
---
— I erase an event from the flow of time.
---
A brief pause.
---
— I don't just interrupt it.
— I remove it.
---
The silence grew heavier.
---
— Currently… I can erase up to ten seconds.
---
Laylah's eyes widened slightly.
---
— Ten seconds…?
---
— Yes.
---
Remiel's gaze remained steady.
---
— It's like rewriting what happened within that interval.
---
A pause.
---
— As if it never existed.
---
Laylah fell completely silent.
---
— His armor…
---
— Was broken within that time.
---
Direct.
---
— An event that no longer exists.
---
The wind passed slowly.
---
— That… shouldn't be possible…
---
— It isn't.
---
Silence.
---
— And the third?
---
Remiel closed his eyes briefly.
---
— I stop time.
---
The air seemed heavier for a moment.
---
— Three seconds.
---
He opened his eyes again.
---
— That's my current limit.
---
Silence.
---
Long.
---
Laylah looked at him—
as if seeing something entirely new.
---
— And during that time…
---
— No one can perceive me.
---
She took a breath.
---
— You…
---
She stopped.
---
Reorganized her thoughts.
---
— Do you understand what that means?
---
Remiel didn't answer.
---
— This isn't just strong.
---
She stepped closer.
---
— This breaks the entire system.
---
Silence.
---
— Sequences…
— Paths…
— everything depends on progression.
---
She pointed slightly at him.
---
— But you…
---
A pause.
---
— ignore it.
---
Remiel remained calm.
---
— No.
---
He answered.
---
— I'm inside it.
---
Laylah frowned.
---
— Inside?
---
— Limited by it.
---
She fell silent.
---
— You said your power is limited.
---
— Yes.
---
— Then…
---
She hesitated.
---
— How much… do you have right now?
---
Silence.
---
Remiel looked at the sky.
---
— Less than ten percent.
---
The world seemed to slow.
---
Laylah didn't react immediately.
---
— …
---
— Ten… percent?
---
— Probably less.
---
She took a step back.
---
— Then that…
---
— Was less than ten percent.
---
Silence.
---
Laylah closed her eyes for a moment.
---
When she opened them—
---
Her gaze had changed.
---
More serious.
More cautious.
---
— Remiel…
---
She spoke more quietly now.
---
— You need to be careful.
---
Silence.
---
— If anyone understands what you can do…
---
She didn't finish.
---
— I know.
---
— No.
---
She shook her head slightly.
---
— You don't.
---
A pause.
---
— This world doesn't tolerate what it cannot control.
---
The wind passed between them.
---
— And you…
---
She looked directly at him.
---
— definitely aren't something that can be controlled.
---
Silence.
---
Remiel didn't look away.
---
— Not yet.
---
Calm.
---
— But I will be.
---
Laylah frowned.
---
— You plan to control yourself?
---
— Recover.
---
Correction.
---
— Everything.
---
A single word.
---
Heavy.
---
Laylah let out a soft sigh.
---
— You're really troublesome…
---
She turned her face slightly.
---
A small smile appeared.
---
— But interesting.
---
They stood side by side.
---
The cracked sky above them.
---
The academy around them.
---
And a future—
---
completely uncertain.
---
But one thing was certain—
---
The Wheel of Divinity kept turning.
---
And this time—