Chapter 10
In a vast clearing embraced by nature, towering trees stood like celestial pillars piercing the sky. The gentle breeze whispered through the branches, yet it couldn't mask the sound of Suero's rapid footsteps. He ran with power and excitement, as if chasing a dream beyond the limits of the impossible. With unwavering enthusiasm, he thought to himself:
"The event has begun! … We will win!"
His strides carried him swiftly toward his goal, his eyes fixed on the sky, which had suddenly begun to change. A massive, transparent layer started to cover the sky, moving slowly but growing stronger with every passing second, enclosing the entire arena like an invisible cage. Suero lifted his gaze, watching as the layer gradually solidified, sealing the battlefield like a tightly shut box. With confidence, he muttered:
"It's the barrier! That means Master Sbyam has left with Betma, and it also means that we will either emerge victorious or not at all! But we will win."
He kept running without looking back, as if the barrier locking them in was nothing but fuel for his determination.
---
In another part of the arena
Kamyo stood still, radiating an aura of silent defiance, his sharp eyes locked onto Rita, who held her sword with unwavering resolve. Though a light breeze passed between them, the air was thick with tension, ready to ignite into battle at any moment. Kamyo smirked mockingly as he gazed at her and sneered:
"Do I really have to fight you?"
Rita responded with confidence, tightening her grip on the sword:
"Prepare yourself!"
Kamyo chuckled with disdain, arrogance seeping into his voice:
"I've already decided the outcome!"
Suddenly, Rita lunged at him with astonishing speed, like a storm tearing through everything in its path. Blue sparks crackled around her sword, enveloping it and amplifying its strength and grandeur. With every step, the sparks grew fiercer, as if preparing to explode. She let out a fierce cry as she closed the distance between them, while Kamyo watched with a calm smile.
But then—suddenly—the sword froze midair, as if an unseen force had stopped it. Rita's eyes widened in shock. She tried to move it with all her strength, but it wouldn't budge. She turned her gaze to Kamyo, who let out a smug laugh and declared:
"I possess spatial manipulation, you fool!"
Rita felt a surge of unease, but she refused to show any weakness. Kamyo added with even greater disdain:
"That means I can control anything from a distance!"
Before she could process his words, a massive rock shot up from the ground and slammed into her legs with immense force, throwing her off balance. She almost fell, but her indomitable will allowed her to perform a breathtaking aerial maneuver, twisting midair and landing gracefully.
With unwavering confidence, she glared at him and declared:
"Don't underestimate me, you idiot! I may be the weakest in my team, but I have skill!"
Kamyo was taken aback for a moment, but he quickly smirked with excitement and said:
"So, you're saying I'll get some entertainment?"
The two stood facing each other, their gazes burning with challenge. The battle between them was about to erupt.
---
In another part of the arena
In a colder corner of the arena, where the wind danced through the tree branches, Baysal moved swiftly, her sharp eyes scanning her surroundings. Frustration was evident on her face as she muttered in irritation:
"Where is everyone?!"
She continued running, but soon, a sly smile formed on her lips as she thought mockingly:
"Are they all afraid of me?"
Maintaining her smirk, she moved quickly, hoping to provoke her opponent into revealing themselves. Suddenly, without warning, a blazing fireball shot toward her at an astonishing speed, like a flaming arrow from the depths of hell. Baysal noticed the sudden attack and froze in place, her face reflecting shock as she stared at the incoming spark.
The fireball raced toward her, mercilessly devouring the distance between them. Her eyes filled with disbelief as she thought:
"Did… did it hit me?"
The fireball kept surging forward, its intense glow illuminating Baysal's face with a bright, fiery light. There was no escape. For a moment, time seemed to freeze, as if everything had come to an end. She shut her eyes tightly, bracing for the inevitable impact that would consume her in flames.
Silence… No sound, no movement. She felt suspended between life and death.
Slowly, she opened her eyes. Her fearful gaze widened as she processed the scene before her—the fireball had completely stopped in midair, mere inches away from her. She gasped in a shaky voice, unable to believe what she was seeing:
"What?!"
Suddenly, Moryo appeared beside her, breaking the silence with his cold voice:
"Oi."
Baysal quickly turned to him, panic evident in her eyes. She stammered:
"Moryo…? How?!"
Moryo replied with complete indifference:
"You should be more careful. The fireball stopped because of my ability."
She stared at him in shock before shifting her gaze back to the frozen fireball. She murmured softly, almost to herself:
"Time Seal…"
Moryo slowly raised his hand and firmly commanded:
"Step aside."
Baysal didn't immediately understand and asked in confusion:
"What?"
He repeated, his voice sharper:
"I said, step aside!"
She took a few steps to the right, leaving a clear space between herself and the fireball. Moryo fixed his gaze on the suspended attack before suddenly lowering his hand, shattering the time freeze.
The fireball resumed its trajectory with tremendous force, slamming into the trunk of a nearby tree, triggering a powerful explosion that shook the area and set the tree ablaze. Flames roared skyward, fueled by the intensifying wind.
As Moryo coldly observed the rising inferno, a figure emerged from the shadows, clapping slowly. He walked forward with deliberate steps, his voice dripping with sarcasm:
"Moryo Raiso! The heir of the Time Technique from his clan. Impressive."
Moryo didn't respond, his icy gaze fixed on the newcomer. Jan continued his approach with a sly grin, while Moryo replied calmly and seriously:
"Are you expecting a reward for that information?"
Jan chuckled lightly before adding:
"How cruel!"
Moryo remained silent, but Jan didn't stop his taunts, his smirk growing more exaggerated:
"I heard that your father, Smart, was desperate to obtain the Time Technique. If he had known you inherited it, would he have killed you?"
Moryo's expression darkened slightly, but he responded icily:
"You talk too much."
Jan let out a light laugh and said:
"True, I am quite the chatterbox."
Baysal suddenly interrupted, shouting angrily:
"Commander Moryo!"
Moryo glanced at her briefly in silence as she glared at Jan with hostility. She boldly declared:
"Leave him to me!"
Without hesitation, Moryo suddenly turned and sprinted away at an incredible speed, vanishing as if he had evaporated into thin air. Jan looked surprised and asked mockingly:
"Where did he go? Did he run away?"
But Baysal, now smirking with a determined glint in her eyes, called out confidently:
"I am your opponent, you scum!"
Jan turned toward her with an amused look and scoffed:
"Sbyam has always been praised as the strongest sorcerer, and truly, he is the greatest sorcerer humanity has ever known! But… he stole the credit that rightfully belongs to my master for training the students! So, I will prove that Master Betma is better than him!"
Baysal grinned and taunted him with a beckoning gesture:
"Come at me!"
Jan laughed with the same mocking tone and said:
"As you wish!"
---
In another part of the arena
Suero kept running without pause, his breath quick and heavy, sweat dripping down his forehead. Suddenly, his pounding footsteps came to a halt before a calm river, its waters reflecting the shimmering sunlight. On the opposite bank stood Hambo, his cold gaze piercing the distance between them.
Breaking the silence, Hambo spoke in a quiet yet confident voice:
"You are Suero Rashid, correct?"
Struggling to catch his breath, Suero stammered:
"Yes… and you are Hambo Gauthen!"
Hambo replied with a firm, emotionless tone:
"You don't have to keep walking this path."
Suero froze in place, his eyes carrying a mix of exhaustion and confusion. Cautiously, he asked:
"What do you mean?"
Hambo answered without hesitation:
"I mean you should stop being a sorcerer. Stop killing monsters to protect humans."
Suero's confusion deepened, but he steadied himself and asked:
"And why would I do that?"
Hambo hesitated for a brief moment, as if searching for the right words, then spoke in a voice devoid of emotion:
"Because they are not worth protecting. That's why I'm telling you—walk away from this. You're just a seventeen-year-old boy. Live your life in peace."
Suero stared at Hambo with a mix of doubt and curiosity but remained silent. Hambo continued, his serious eyes locked onto Suero's:
"In the end, you will die, and to them, you will be nothing more than trash."
Suero responded defiantly:
"Why do you think that way?"
Lowering his gaze to the ground, Hambo's features tensed before he spoke again, his voice laced with a hidden sorrow:
"Because I lived among them. I protected them. But to them, I was nothing more than a killer. Every sorcerer who has sacrificed their life for humanity is seen as a murderer. To them, we are just tools for survival."
Before Suero could reply, Moryo suddenly appeared. With a firm step, he placed a hand on Suero's shoulder and pulled him back, then turned to face Hambo, his piercing, icy eyes burning with hidden intensity. His voice was devoid of emotion as he spoke:
"Stay away from Suero. Don't poison his mind with your twisted thoughts."
Hambo met Moryo's sharp gaze with quiet defiance, a faint hint of provocation in his expression. In a low voice, he asked:
"Did I lie?"
Moryo narrowed his eyes dangerously, a silent warning of the storm brewing within him. Lowering his voice to a near whisper, Hambo muttered:
"They truly are despicable."
Moryo's response was swift and cutting, his voice like a blade:
"The only despicable one here is you. I warned you not to meddle with my squad's minds! And as for Suero, he is different. I see him as the one who will save humanity from the monsters one day."
Suero's eyes widened in shock at his commander's words, as if a new spark of confidence had been ignited within him.
Moryo continued, his voice powerful and resolute, as though swearing an oath with his very blood:
"From the beginning, I saw something special in him. He was just a boy who resembled Spailo, but… after his mother's death, after witnessing death consume the humans around him, he never wavered from his goal. From the start, he was stubborn, chasing after his own will!"
His voice rose, filled with both anger and unshakable conviction:
"That is why he will be the one to protect humanity in the future!"
Hambo remained silent, his expression as cold as ever, yet his eyes studied Moryo with increasing interest. Finally, he spoke calmly:
"Let's continue the event."
Taking a combat stance, Hambo's features hardened, his eyes gleaming with unmistakable determination as he prepared to face his opponent.
Moryo, in turn, stepped forward, his sharp gaze locked onto his rival, as if bracing himself for a battle with no room for retreat.
---
End of Chapter.