The trio did not know whether to see this as a blessing in disguise or a horrific discovery. They were planning to combine their efforts to break the railings, but it looks like they didn’t even need to.
The man with different eye colours was just too strong, it was scary.
K’xug leaped up onto the stone flooring and he reached out to Hana. Hana grabbed onto his hand and he pulled her up easily.
Hana stepped onto her kimono at that moment, due to the difference in height and she slipped with a gasp.
K’xug caught her easily, his arm around her waist as he looked at her in concern.
Hana met his concerned eyes and somehow, without any reason, her heart skipped a beat. She realised their intimate position and withdrew hastily from K’xug, a forced smile on her face.
“I’m okay! I’m okay!”
K’xug nodded, and he proceeded to push the railings back into place without any effort once again.
At his actions, the mouths of the trio dropped further open.
K’xug wasn’t mortal after all, his strength overpowered that of mortals.
“So, we are inside now,” Hana turned to them, still smiling but it wasn’t so forced anymore. “What should we do now?”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“...?” Hana tilted her head to the side in confusion.
K’xug stared at the silent trio in puzzlement.
At that moment, they heard someone roaring at them down the corridor.
“You bastards! Stay right there! Let’s see if you want to continue running!”
“He’s already here.” Yun stated.
“Let’s run and talk at the same time!” Haru urged, taking off.
Hana and K’xug were right in front with the trio behind them as they took off. They could hear the thundering footsteps of Goro and his subordinates behind them.
Meanwhile, the trio were whispering to one another.
“Is he...even human?”
“Nope.”
“With such strength, it is impossible. There are people who are able to push these iron railings apart, but not easily like that.”
The three of them looked at K’xug’s back, shuddering in fear.
For once, they were glad that someone like K’xug was on their side.
K’xug glanced back at that moment, making the three of them flinch in shock. Hana glanced back as well, smiling at the trio.
“I think K’xug is asking what we should do now!”
Behind them, Goro and his subordinates were catching up to them rapidly. They could hear the angry cries all around.
“Just keep running!” Haru hollered out, running closer to Hana and K’xug. “Yun will think of something.”
Kiyae and Yun picked up their pace too, and now they were all running in a line, side to side.
Haru looked towards Yun, and Yun nodded back as if he had everything figured out.
Kiyae looked at them, waving her hands in the air. “So, I guess I am still stuck with wall rotating duty? Yun Yun?”
“I thought I told you to stop calling me that.” Yun grimaced.
Haru guffawed.
Hana was amused by the nickname given to Yun, and she giggled. “Yun Yun!”
“Great.” Yun sighed.
“Yun Yun.”
“Yun Yun!”
“Yun Yun! So cute!”
Yun sighed, and he felt a pat on his shoulder.
“...?”
He turned to look at the owner of the hand, and it turned out to be K’xug giving him a sympathetic glance.
A tiny smile flitted past Yun’s lips.
Even if he was not human, and was in a different league from all of them...he was still the quiet and mild K’xug they knew.
“Continue running, you cowards! We’ll chase you down until you are dead tired!” Goro barked out behind them. “Go on!”
A plan started to form in Yun’s head at that moment, and he beckoned for all of them to lean in as they continued running. The five of them huddled, nodding along to the plan that Yun formulated on the spot.
After all, their clever strategist knew this entire coliseum at the back of his hand.
***
The presence of the new soul fragment was faint now.
He was out of the coliseum, and Xue did not bother to chase them down.
There was no way he would leave Cecil behind here at the coliseum, it seemed like she would get herself in harm’s way the moment he took his eyes off her.
Even if she was someone who could handle most trouble thrown her way, he still could not help but get concerned.
Moreover, there was something else.
There was something that didn’t feel right.
Xue frowned deeply, easily fending off an opponent that targeted him. The opponent, despite being overwhelmed by Xue, still wanted to strike Xue at least once but the good-looking ash-blonde haired man didn’t bother to entertain his opponent.
“Get out.”
Xue easily tossed him out of the arena with a few flashy moves.
“Arghh!”
Just like that, his opponent suffered an overwhelming loss.
Xue did not like this.
Something really does not feel right.
What is it?
He needed to find Cecil in this crowd, he swore he saw her a moment ago. Even though he was in a terrible mood, he still kept his eyes on her.
At that second, he spotted the familiar raven-haired woman in the crowd. She pulled two of her opponents closer to her with her vine daggers after distracting them with her rock, finishing them off with clean and swift kicks.
Just like any other participants, her face and kimono has been smudged with dirt, her hair rather disheveled. However, she still managed to look gorgeous under the sunlight.
Xue hurried over to her side, an apprehensive feeling welling up within him.
It was at that moment, he sensed it.
The faint trace of a power that only existed in the heavenly and demon realm.
Xue paused, searching all around the arena. The participants were fighting all around and there was blood spraying everywhere, he even had to avoid any attacks thrown his way, be it on purpose or accidental.
Where is it?
Xue stiffened at that moment, his gaze fixated at the far end of the arena.
There.
The soul fragments could feel the unease within Xue, and they all started to question him curiously.
Kai: “Yo, Xue, what’s wrong?”
Zasiok: “Do you sense something wrong? This is exactly what I do when I sense something amiss.”
Leonaut: “Is he searching for a good opponent?”
Sid was snoring away on the couch again, mumbling on about delicious food.
Alric: “Ev-everything is fine, right?”
Isleif: “Go to her.”
Kai and the others turned to look at Isleif, who wasn’t saying anything dreadful or violent for once.
Kai: “You too, red?”
Zasiok frowned at Kai for choosing such a nickname for Isleif.
Isleif: “Go to her now.”
Everyone looked towards Isleif, and the screen that was currently showing Xue’s point of view. It was obvious what Isleif was saying.
Xue: “...”
Xue: “...so you can sense it too, somehow.”
Isleif scoffed, resting his chin on his palm.
The faint trace of light magic.
That was what Xue was sensing.
He moved his gaze away from that area that contained faint traces of light magic, rushing towards Cecil’s side.
“What the--”
“The hell is that?!”
At the area where Xue was looking before, there was a bright light emitting from there. Several participants, especially the ones closer to the area noticed it instantly.
Whereas, Cecil overheard the commotion as she spun around to look. She caught a glimpse of the strange sight too, equally bewildered.
All of a sudden, the bright light began to cut through the crowd swiftly, like someone had just shot it as an arrow from a bow.
The unfortunate participants that were in the line of sight were immediately thrown away by the force of the object shooting across the arena. There was a ghastly sight of a few participants receiving the full force of the object piercing them, and they screamed in pain.
“Ahh, it burns!”
“It’s like...I’m...on fire--”
“Help me, ahhh!”
They continued to scream in agonising pain, and the other participants witnessing this scene were horrified. The unfortunate participants caught in the crossfire were glowing brightly like the object and their bodies started to disintegrate.
“They are...disappearing!”
“What the hell is that weapon?!”
“Dodge if you want to live!”
The other participants were smart enough to throw themselves out of the way, not wanting to end up disintegrating like them.
Cecil widened her eyes in disbelief as she had watched the same scene.
What is that horrible weapon--
Cecil gasped.
It’s too quick!
She realised the deadly glowing weapon was aiming for her all along, and she prepared to throw herself down onto the ground.
“Cecil!”
Cecil inhaled sharply at the voice calling her name urgently.
Xue?
Just before the deadly glowing weapon touched her, a shadow appeared in front of her and grabbed the glowing weapon without hesitation.
It was Xue.
He forcibly stopped the weapon with his own bare hand, and the force was so strong that it sent a shockwave followed by a violent gust of wind.
Cecil squinted her eyes close, her hand shielding her eyes as she cried out.
“Xue!”
The force of the deadly weapon was so strong that it tore through Xue’s hand holding onto it, stabbing into his shoulder.
Xue grunted in pain.
The glow of the arrow gradually died down, and it was revealed to be an ordinary arrow that pierced into Xue’s shoulder.
The wind died down, and Cecil slowly opened her eyes. She realised Xue had shielded her from the attack, and she also saw blood dripping down his hand and his shoulder, staining his kimono.
“Oh my god, Xue!”
Cecil rushed in front of Xue, her hands reaching out for the arrow. There was a sizzling sound coming from the arrow.
“Don’t touch it!” Xue barked out, making Cecil flinch. “Don’t. Touch it.”
Cecil was panicking. “But you--you are bleeding, I can’t just--”
“Don’t worry about me--you can’t touch it no matter what!” Xue gritted his teeth, nudging his head at the far end of the arena. “Look over there.”
The participants had scrambled away from the source of the deadly weapon, the light magic arrow, for the fear of their lives.
“My hands! My hands--they are--!”
The one who shot the arrow doused in light magic was an archer, his bow clattered noisily onto the ground.
His hands were disintegrating, and it spread past his arms and to his entire body. He glanced up in horror, reaching out to the other participants.
“Help...me…”
He disappeared from existence, along with his bow and his clothes.
It was as if this sight was the breaking point for everyone.
“Run! Get out of here!”
“At this rate, we’ll all die too!”
“I’m not staying here any longer!”
The crowd immediately stood up from their seats, screaming in horror at the top of their lungs. The participants who were desperate to live tossed themselves into the water, not wanting to participate in the tournament anymore.
Meanwhile, Ryo had rushed over to Xue and Cecil as well, witnessing the ghastly scene with his own two silver eyes.
“Hey, freakishly strong guy! Are you okay?!”
“Don’t you dare touch this arrow!” Xue continued exclaiming, narrowing his eyes. “None of you touch it! You’ll end up like them!”
“Xue, but your shoulder and your hand!”
The announcer was still trying to end the tournament officially.
“Ev-everyone, calm down! Calm down, everyone! Please exit the coliseum in an orderly manner, the--the tournament has unexpectedly ended and--and the winners of the tournaments are the dark horses of this tournament The dark horse team!”
The announcer pointed towards Xue in pain and Cecil fussing over him, the two of them were clearly not paying him any attention. Whereas, Ryo gritted his teeth in frustration and turned to look at the announcer, making an ice trident swiftly and hurling it at the announcer.
“Get out of here, we know it’s all rigged!”
The announcer yelped in alarm, dashing away along with the audience.
Xue glared up at the stand, especially to where Ephert and Shin were at, and his eyes were currently fixated on Ephert.
This entire time, Ephert watched the scene in fascination.
“Oh, so that’s how it works,” Ephert gasped in amazement. “How wonderful.”
Shin overheard Ephert speaking to himself, his wide eyes looking away at the horrible scene.
“That’s why he said the gloves are needed,” Ephert nodded in understanding. “I see now.”
Even though Xue did not treat other people’s life preciously, he was still someone with morales. He wasn’t someone who would force mortals to use light magic, and it was for this sole reason.
Their bodies are unable to handle the high capacity of power from light magic.
They would disintegrate from existence, and nothing would be left of them. Not even their clothes or their soul-bound weapons.
Nothing at all.
“Somehow, that bastard has his hands on light magic,” Xue hissed out in anger, clutching at his shoulder. “I don’t know how, and in the first place, something like this shouldn’t exist in the mortal realm.”
It would destroy the balance of the three realms, and this was the exact reason why.
At his words, Cecil paused and came to a realisation.
So that’s it.
This is what happened to Haru and the others in the novel.
They disappeared from existence.
Cecil looked at Xue and the arrow still stuck in his shoulder. It was still glowing faintly, holding the remnants of light magic in it.
The only reason why Xue could still be fine was solely because he wasn’t a mortal, and also because he was the Supreme God, the protagonist of this world.
“What the heck are you talking about?” Ryo was bewildered, scratching his head. “What is that light magic nonsense? And what the heck is this arrow supposed to be?!”
“Xue…” Cecil reached out hesitantly, she felt as if her heart was being torn apart as she saw blood dripping down incessantly from Xue’s wounds.
Moreover, his face was twisted in pain.
Even though he was still the powerful Supreme God...he had not regained his full power.
Moreover, he could still feel pain.
“I told you not to touch it!” Xue leaped back, his tone threatening. “There are still traces of light magic in here, don’t come near me!”
“Will anyone answer me?” Ryo ruffled his hair before he sighed in resignation. “Fine, whatever, first we have to give him some first aid treatment--”
Ephert stood up from his seat, putting his finger between his mouth and he whistled loudly. Almost instantly, several hooded figures started appearing around the audience stand and they carried bows in their hands which were covered in gloves.
“Damnit,” Ryo swung his halberd. “This is the worst situation to be in.”
“They will use it again,” Xue grunted out. “Dodge them all, and attack when you have the chance.”
Cecil glanced all around and she understood the situation once again.
This is how Haru and the others ended up.
Just like this.
Cecil frowned deeply.
Compared to all the other situations she has been in, this was the most dangerous.
At that moment, the system arrived with the most horrible timing along with its notifications.
[ Congratulations! You have unlocked the achievement “Victory! The Champion of the Tournament”! You have nineteen achievements left! ]
[ Mission #13: The Most Popular Fighting Tournament of Tul
Objective completed!
Reward: 6000 points
Remaining points: 11,000 points ]
“AI500, does this look like a victory to you…?”
[ Nothing changes the fact that you won the tournament~ ]
“...”
“...why do I even bother.”
Cecil and Ryo stood back to back, scanning the audience stand as they readied their weapons.
“Xue, stand back.”
Ryo grinned, nodding.
“That’s right, freakishly strong guy. We’ll protect you now.”
At their words and actions, Xue clutched onto his shoulder, a myriad of emotions flitting past his eyes.
“You don’t need to protect me.”
Xue suddenly spoke.
Cecil and Ryo snapped their heads towards him.
“You need to run,” Xue glanced towards them. “Run away.”
“Then what about you?” Ryo furrowed his eyebrows.
“Xue, what are you…” Cecil’s words trailed off, remembering the time where Xue pushed her away as he absorbed Isleif. “No…”
No.
Not again.
She wouldn’t let that happen again.
How could she?
Xue disregarded the throbbing pain in shoulders, summoning out his spear.
“Run away, and don’t look back.”
For the first time in a while, he showed a genuine smile.
“I’ll be fine.”
Anyone can tell he was clearly lying.
Even his soul fragments.
Even Ryo.
Even...Cecil.
On the other hand, the culprit who was in control of all this was smiling to himself from his seat, lifting his arm up into the air.
Ephert was preparing to signal the attack.
***
《 start 》
For the first time in my life, other than for the sake of revenge, I want my powers back.
My powers I had when I was the Supreme God.
This time, it’s not for my revenge.
This time, I want to protect these people who are protecting me.
They are far weaker than me, and yet, they still want to protect me.
To think that I...who have been protecting others the entire time...would be protected now.
It feels nice.
...but I do not want to lose anyone.
Not anymore.
So, run.
Please run away.
I won’t die.
Even if I do...then...
That’s fine.
At least, this time, I can confidently say I did not lose anyone.
《 stop 》
***
Author's Note: Can't believe I have been writing this book for a year now, jesus christ. I have never wrote this long for a book of mine 😂.
Well, I only hope everyone is enjoying the story one way or another.
Thank you for joining me in this journey for the past year ❤. Have a good day ya'll.