Arthur's eyes narrowed as he stared at Julius, his lips barely moving as he spoke. "He played us all."
Hyorinmaru's voice echoed in Arthur's mind. "What do you mean?"
Before Arthur could respond, Kaelith's sword shot forward, and in a blur of speed, he attacked.
Without missing a beat, Arthur dodged, sprinting away with a single thought: There's no time to explain. His breathing was ragged as his heart pounded in his chest. To win this fight, I need to wake up my body… but I need time.
He skidded to a stop, an icy chill spreading through his fingers. "Ice Magic… Frost Touch!" he yelled, slamming his hand into the ground. Immediately, walls of ice rose up around him, a defense against Kaelith's relentless assault.
Kaelith didn't flinch. "Again?" He smirked. "You're just trying to buy time. Fine. I'll play along. It'll be even better to defeat you when you're at your best." He raised his sword and began smashing through the ice walls one by one.
Hyorinmaru roared inside Arthur's head. "What are you doing?"
Arthur's voice was strained, but determined. "Assist me, Hyorinmaru."
Hyorinmaru's tone was skeptical. "What do you intend to do?"
Arthur smiled grimly, his grip tightening on the hilt of his blade. "I'm waking myself up."
He thrust his sword into the ground, sending a wave of cold air sweeping through the arena. His eyes narrowed as he breathed deeply, focusing. If my body is asleep… I need to wake it up. I can't rely on electrical impulses to send the message to the brain. But if I can use mana threading to kickstart it, maybe… just maybe… it'll work.
"Ice Magic… Mana Threading!" he muttered, a surge of cold mana spiraling from his body, threading through every inch of his being.
Hyorinmaru's voice was laced with disbelief. "Are you insane? What's the probability this will even work?"
Arthur's smile widened. "We're about to find out."
As the threads of ice coursed through him, he felt his body stir. His mind, once fogged with sluggishness, began to sharpen. I hope it works, he thought.
Kaelith's sword came down, aiming for Arthur's head. But in the blink of an eye, the ground beneath Arthur's feet cracked with a thunderous boom. When the dust cleared, Kaelith's sword was lodged deep into the ground, and Arthur was standing on the opposite side of the arena, breathing heavily.
"It worked," Arthur whispered to himself.
Kaelith's eyes narrowed as he observed the change. "So… you're finally awake, huh?"
From the stands, Eldric watched the scene unfold with a slow exhale. "He's broken out…" His voice was quiet, filled with a mixture of awe and concern.
Julius grinned, a sharp edge to his smile. "I told you he had it in him."
Eldric frowned. "You knew?"
Julius's eyes flicked to the arena, unfazed. "Everything's part of my analysis. I anticipated his next move. And Kaelith... well, he understands that too."
Eldric was taken aback. "You… you anticipated this?"
Julius nodded, his gaze unwavering. "I don't underestimate him. Now… onto the next part of the plan."
Arthur, now fully awake, tightened his grip on Hyorinmaru's hilt. "Now that I've broken out, I can fight properly." He glanced at his . Hyorinmaru, I don't understand it either, but if you're with me, let's go."
The atmosphere shifted. The temperature dropped, and a suffocating aura filled the air. A dark, murderous presence radiated from Kaelith, and with every step he took, the pressure mounted.
Arthur's breath hitched. This aura… It's suffocating.
From the stands, Leo spoke up, his voice dripping with concern. "I hope that guy knows he can't kill, right?"
Callista's voice trembled. "Why is he releasing such murderous intent? Does he want to kill Arthur?"
Lyra's eyes widened in realization. "This aura… it's different from Selen's. He's got that killer vibe, like he's done this before…"
Damon's voice cut through the air. "Are you trying to say that Arthur's fighting a killer?"
The arena went silent as the tension thickened.
From the noble stands, Magnus's voice was cold. "Forget it. He doesn't stand a chance."
Draven's eyes narrowed, but his tone was surprisingly calm. "Don't count him out just yet."
Magnus shot Draven a disbelieving look. "Look at that intense murderous intent! There's no way he can survive this."
Drake chimed in, grimly. "I don't think that boy can win this fight. He's outmatched."
Draven's lips curved into a smirk. "We'll see."
Aldric watched silently, his heart clenched with concern. Arthur… will you be alright down there?
Arthur steeled himself as Kaelith's aura pressed in on him. "I can do this."
But as he took a step forward, Kaelith's presence intensified. The fear surged in Arthur's chest, as an image flashed in his mind—his own head severed from his body, his lifeless form crumpling to the ground. He froze, his fingers trembling.
Was that… the feeling of death?
Julius's voice echoed in his mind, cool and calculating. "Forcing yourself awake was a good strategy. But you must understand, Arthur, the side effect of pushing your body that hard… it weakens your mind. All Kaelith had to do was release his killer aura and expose your vulnerability. Fear. It's a weapon more deadly than any blade."
"The only thing left is Paralysis."
Arthur's chest tightened as the reality set in. His knees shook. No… I can't let fear control me.
Kaelith's voice cut through the air like a blade. "You saw it, didn't you? You saw yourself die just now." He raised his hand, and a massive rock of earth formed high above Arthur's head. "Earth Magic… Falling Rock."
The rock rumbled as it descended, and Arthur's legs refused to move. He could feel the paralysis setting in. "Move," he whispered through gritted teeth. "Damn it, move!"
The rock fell, crushing everything in its path.
The arena fell into stunned silence. Dust filled the air, masking the outcome. The tension was unbearable.
Seraphina screamed, her voice shaking. "Arthur!" Her eyes were wide with disbelief. "He killed him… He killed Arthur!"
Callista's hands flew to her face, her breath shallow. "No… No, this can't be happening. Arthur can't be dead, can he?" She shook Seraphina, but the girl was frozen in shock.
Felix clenched his fists, shaking his head. "No. This is Arthur. He can't die like this."
Lyra, standing still, could only hope. Please be alive, Arthur. Please.
Leo's voice cut through the silence, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his tone. "You can't die, Arthur."
Ronan, equally tense, clenched his jaw. "That's a lie. Arthur is still alive."
The arena buzzed with rumors and whispers.
In the noble stands, Magnus shook his head. "Did he really die?"
Drake's voice was tinged with regret. "I knew it. He never stood a chance."
Draven's eyes narrowed as he watched. "He's going to be disqualified. Killing your opponent is against the rules."
Vaelric glanced at Aldric, his expression unreadable. "How do you feel about this, Aldric?"
Aldric's lips pressed into a thin line. He didn't answer.
Magnus scoffed. "I told you. He didn't stand a chance."
Vaelric agreed. "This was supposed to be a peaceful tournament. Now it's turned into a bloodbath."
Garrick's eyes widened in disbelief. "This is going too far. We can't just stay quiet about this."
A captain spoke up, his voice somber. "He was still young… We should prepare for his funeral."
Alaric sat still, his thoughts clouded. "Was I wrong about you, Arthur? Were you never the one I hoped for…?" He glanced at Aldric. "How do you feel about this?"
Eldric, still in shock, whispered to himself. "I can't believe he killed him. I wanted our kingdom to win, but this… this was too far."
He turned to Julius, his voice shaking. "He's going to be disqualified, right?"
Julius didn't even look at him. "If you have no better complaints, leave me be. Don't think I'm your friend just because I share my thoughts with you. The only thing that matters right now is this battle."
Eldric stared at him, dumbfounded, but Julius simply watched the arena, his eyes cold and calculating.
"Arthur," Julius said, almost softly, "are you dead or not?"