Only the strongest remained.
The atmosphere inside the arena had changed—less noise, fewer distractions, and far more pressure. Every movement was now watched carefully.
Sol stood quietly among the remaining competitors.
Top ten.
Not too high.
Not too low.
Safe.
But his attention wasn't on the rankings.
It shifted slightly—
Toward Kael.
At first glance, nothing was wrong.
Kael stood as he always did—calm posture, steady breathing, controlled presence. His expression was neutral, his movements efficient.
But something felt… different.
Subtle.
Almost impossible to notice.
Sol didn't stare. He only glanced briefly before looking away.
Something is off.
"System. Analyze."
[Processing…]
Result: Minor fluctuation detected. Unable to identify source.
Again.
Unknown.
Sol's expression didn't change, but his mind sharpened.
Kael entered his next match.
His opponent was strong—a dual-element user with fast casting speed.
The fight began.
Kael moved as expected.
Precise.
Efficient.
Controlled.
Every spell was clean. Every movement calculated.
But then—
For a brief moment—
His aura flickered.
A faint distortion spread around him, barely visible.
His next attack came out slightly stronger than necessary.
Too much energy.
Too sharp.
The opponent was overwhelmed instantly.
The match ended faster than expected.
From the audience, it looked impressive.
Only Sol noticed the difference.
That wasn't optimal.
It was excessive.
And Kael wasn't the type to waste energy.
Kael stepped down calmly, as if nothing had happened.
But as he passed by—
For a split second—
Their eyes met.
Sol saw it clearly this time.
Depth.
Not normal depth.
Like something hidden beneath the surface.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then it disappeared.
Kael looked away and continued walking.
No reaction.
No sign of anything unusual.
Sol remained still.
Not stable… but controlled.
Whatever it was—
Kael was hiding it.
And doing it well.
Sol didn't interfere.
Didn't question.
Didn't approach.
Because this wasn't his problem.
Not yet.
But he remembered it.
Carefully.
Because in a place like this—
Anything unknown…
Was a potential threat.
END OF CHAPTER 17