The battlefield had never been more alive.
The ground trembled, unable to handle the sheer power radiating from the warriors who stood upon it. The sky itself seemed to crack, thick black clouds twisting and turning as if they were trying to escape the battle below. Lightning flashed, illuminating the faces of the fighters.
**Ryan Jim.**
**Liora.**
**Dain.**
Facing them—
**Vinay.**
A single movement from any of them could shift the tide of the battle. **The world itself felt fragile in their presence.**
And yet—above all of this, above the chaos, the destruction, and the overwhelming power—**one man still sat in silence.**
Manav.
Watching.
Unmoving.
Emotionless.
His crimson cloak swayed lightly in the winds of war, but he did not flinch. His sharp gaze followed every attack, every clash of power, every explosion of aura. But he did not react.
His throne in the ruined palace overlooked the battlefield like a god staring down at mere mortals.
Vinay, standing tall amidst the carnage, finally broke the silence.
**"Tell me something,"** his voice carried through the battlefield, sharp as a blade. **"Why hasn't Manav moved?"**
Ryan Jim, blood dripping from his forehead, remained silent.
Vinay smirked. **"What's wrong? Is he scared?"**
His voice was mocking, filled with amusement. **"Or does he not have aura at all?"**
The battlefield went silent.
The air grew colder.
Ryan Jim slowly lifted his head, his eyes locking onto Vinay's. **His gaze was ice-cold.**
**"You're a fool."**
Vinay's smile faded slightly.
Ryan Jim took a step forward, his voice calm yet chilling. **"If you think Manav is afraid, then you don't understand him at all."**
Liora wiped the blood from her lip. **"He's watching because he doesn't need to move."**
Dain, his breathing ragged, chuckled. **"He's already won. And you don't even realize it."**
Vinay's golden eyes narrowed.
For the first time in this battle—**he felt something strange.**
Not fear.
But **uncertainty.**
Ryan Jim's aura erupted—**blazing red flames surging around his body like an inferno.**
Vinay turned his focus back just in time to see him **vanish.**
**BOOM!**
Ryan Jim **reappeared behind Vinay, his fist already mid-strike.**
Vinay barely had time to react. He raised his arms to block—
**But the impact sent him flying.**
He skidded backward, his feet **tearing through the ground,** carving deep trenches into the battlefield.
Before he could recover—
**Liora was already there.**
Her sword shimmered with divine energy. She **swung.**
Vinay barely managed to tilt his head as her blade **sliced through the air—missing his throat by mere inches.**
But she wasn't done.
Her movements were precise, each swing a dance of destruction. **Her sword moved like lightning, relentless, merciless.**
Vinay **dodged, blocked, countered—**but she was **too fast.**
**"Celestial Crescent Slash!!"**
She unleashed a devastating wave of energy, but—
Vinay **gritted his teeth and caught the attack with his bare hands.**
**"Enough!"**
With a single motion, **he crushed the energy into nothingness.**
Liora's eyes widened.
But she didn't have time to react—
**Dain was already in front of Vinay.**
**His fist was glowing.**
**"Titan's Wrath!!"**
A punch carrying **the weight of mountains** crashed into Vinay's chest.
**BOOOOOOM!**
A shockwave exploded outward, tearing apart the landscape.
Vinay **flew backward, crashing through boulders, toppling trees, carving a deep crater into the battlefield.**
Dust and debris filled the air.
For a brief moment—**there was silence.**
Liora and Dain stood side by side, breathing heavily.
Ryan Jim exhaled slowly, lowering his fists.
They waited.
Watched.
**Did it work?**
The dust began to settle.
The battlefield was in ruins. **Nothing was left standing.**
And yet—
A figure **emerged from the smoke.**
Vinay **stood there.**
His body was bruised, his lip bleeding. **But he was still smiling.**
**"Not bad."**
He cracked his neck, stretching his arms. **"That actually hurt a little."**
Ryan Jim clenched his fists.
Vinay's aura **exploded.**
The very sky **shattered.**
The battlefield **erupted into chaos once again.**
**BOOM!**
From his throne, **Manav continued watching.**
Still.
Emotionless.
His cold eyes followed everything. **Every attack. Every movement.**
He saw it all.
And yet—he did nothing.
He simply **watched.**
The battle raged on.
The world was falling apart.
And **Manav remained seated.**
**Unshaken.**
**Untouched.**
**Unmoved.**