2025-02-13 16:41:10The arena was electric, the crowd's excitement buzzing in the air as the final battles loomed on the horizon. Clan Zenith’s representative, stood across the battlefield from Clan Solace, and there was an air of anticipation as Elena from Clan Zenith took her position.
The bell rang, and just like that, Elena was in motion. Her fiery hair flashed like a burst of power as she flung herself into the battle. Without hesitation, Elena raised her hand, and the flames around her surged to life. "Let's see how strong you really are," she murmured under her breath, her fiery energy crackling like thunder. Luna, from Clan Solace, attempted to summon her wind, the air swirling around her to form a defensive barrier. "You won’t beat me that easily!" she shouted, her voice full of determination. But Elena wasn’t playing games. She released a massive ball of fire straight at Luna, who barely managed to deflect it with her wind barrier. The explosion that followed sent Luna hurtling backwards, her wind magic faltering under the immense heat. Before Luna could recover, Elena closed the gap between them, her body moving with an elegance that made her appear as though she was made of flames themselves. "You're too slow," Elena taunted, her voice filled with smug superiority. Luna’s face twisted in frustration as she tried to conjure another gust of wind, but Elena was relentless, sending a barrage of smaller fireballs that pushed Luna further back. The air itself seemed to ripple with heat, and the crowd could feel the intensity. In a final move, Elena thrust her hands forward, creating a massive wave of fire that engulfed Luna entirely, leaving nothing but scorched earth in its wake. The crowd gasped as Luna collapsed, unable to continue. "Clan Solace is out!" the commentator’s voice boomed over the loudspeakers, the audience roaring in approval. But Elena didn’t give them a moment to breathe. She was already turning her attention to the next team: Clan Aegis. "Let’s see how the stone stands against fire," Elena smirked, her eyes locking onto Zack, the top student from Clan Aegis. Zack was no stranger to strength. With a wave of his hand, massive stone pillars erupted from the ground, their jagged edges rising high into the air as he took a defensive stance. "You think stone can stop fire?" Elena laughed, her confidence radiating like the very flames she controlled. "Let’s find out." In an instant, Elena moved. Her body was a blur of speed as she leaped into the air, her hands drawing flame from the very air around her. Zack’s stone pillars shot towards her, aiming to trap her in their unyielding grasp, but Elena was already one step ahead. She dodged with ease, spinning out of the way, and launched a stream of fire straight at Zack. Zack was quick, using his stone barrier to shield himself. The flames licked at the edges of his shield, threatening to tear through it, but he held his ground. "You’re going to need more than that to break my defense," he growled. But Elena wasn’t done yet. Her fire didn’t waver, it grew stronger, hotter, and faster as she pressed forward. She pushed against his stone barrier, the heat intensifying with each step. Zack tried to push back with his own earth magic, but the flames were overwhelming, dancing around his stone defenses like a living thing. "You can’t hold on forever," Elena said, a fierce gleam in her eye as she gathered all her energy into one final, devastating fireball. She hurled it at Zack, her voice low and determined. "This ends now." The fireball hit its mark with a deafening explosion. Stone shattered, and Zack was thrown to the ground, his body smoldering under the intense heat. The commentator’s voice echoed through the arena. "Clan Aegis is out! Clan Zenith claims another victory!" The crowd went wild as Clan Zenith stood victorious, the flames of their power still flickering in the air. Elena stood tall, her chest rising and falling with exertion, but there was no mistaking the pride in her eyes. And now, it was time for Clan Dusk to take the stage. Miko stood, watching from the sidelines as his team gathered. The intensity of the previous battles had left him drained, but there was no time to rest. Clan Zenith had proven they were formidable, and now it was his turn. Akiya stood beside him, adjusting her gear. "You ready for this?" she asked, her voice quiet but determined. Miko gave her a strained smile, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I have to be. We don’t have a choice." Liam, always eager for a fight, cracked his knuckles. "Let’s give them everything we’ve got!" And then, the final match began. The tension in the arena was palpable as Clan Zenith and Clan Dusk faced off. Miko knew that this would be their Miko suddenly started walking up the stage, this was the toughest battle yet. Elena’s flames were unpredictable and deadly, and he couldn’t afford to make a mistake. “How long have you been able to do that?” Elena asked with a serious face “How long have I been able to do what?” Miko asked. “Use double elements,” Elena added, nervously. “Enough small talk,” Miko said softly. Elena, agitated, paused and then screamed as she grit her teeth, "Let’s go!" Elena shouted, charging forward as flames billowed around her. Miko moved quickly, ducking beneath a massive fireball and narrowly avoiding another wave of heat. He darted to the side, his feet barely touching the ground as he kept his focus on Elena. "You’re faster than I thought," Elena taunted, her voice ringing out as she whipped flames at him. "But not fast enough." Miko gritted his teeth, pushing himself harder. He could feel his heart racing as his movements became more instinctive, more fluid. But even so, Elena’s speed and power were on another level. "Stay focused!" Akiya shouted from the sidelines, her voice cutting through the noise of the battle. Miko didn’t need any more encouragement. He dug deep, tapping into the last reserves of his strength but there was no mistaking it—she was relentless. And then, Miko said, just when Elena thought she had him cornered, Miko struck. “Let’s start with some acceleration,” Miko said. “Thank you Mysterious man from the abyss,” Miko whispered. “Elemental acceleration!” Miko screamed. With a burst of speed, Miko closed the gap between them and launched a series of fire blasts aimed directly at her. Elena managed to dodge the first few, but the last one hit her square in the chest, knocking her back. She stumbled, surprised at how fast Miko had closed in on her. “He’s obviously weak, how is he competing with my speed.” Miko didn't hesitate. He rushed forward, his fire swirling around him in a chaotic, fiery dance. Elena raised her hands to defend herself, but Miko was too fast. He struck again, his fiery attacks relentless, pushing Elena back. "Not bad," Elena said, breathing heavily. "But you're still not there yet." The battle raged on, each side pushing harder and harder, but it was clear: Miko was beginning to close the gap. He was learning, growing stronger with each strike, his fire more controlled, more powerful. "Give up, Miko," Elena said, her voice tinged with respect. "You’ve come a long way, but I’m still the better fire mage." Miko didn’t answer. Instead, he focused, his mind clearing as he readied his next move. With a final, powerful burst, he closed the distance and launched one last fireball, aiming straight at Elena’s heart. And this time, Elena couldn’t dodge. The fireball hit her square in the chest, and she was sent flying backward, crashing into the ground with a grunt. The crowd went silent as Elena lay there, the air thick with the aftereffects of the explosion. For a moment, there was only the sound of Miko’s heavy breathing, the heat still lingering in the air. Then, the commentator’s voice broke the silence. "Clan Zenith is out! Clan Dusk has done the unthinkable! They’ve de-“ before they could finish, the mic was engulfed in flames. Everyone turned towards the caster, who walked on stage beside Elena’s body. As he stood, someone who seemed like the leader walked past him. “Well well well, looks like I have to intervene,” The boy said. Everyone turned to him, “Hey, it’s the top student!” “Yes, he’s finally on stage,” “Isn’t that against the rules,” a student pointed out. The stadium erupted into a roar of applause, the crowd on its feet, cheering and shouting as Miko stood tall. Sweat dripped from his brow, but there was no denying the look of triumph in his eyes.
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Sovereign of The Abyss Chapter 15
The arena fell silent as Ian stepped forward, his footsteps echoing across the battlefield where Elena had just fallen."Well, well," Ian's voice dripped with disdain. "The ash user who thinks he can play with double elements."Miko wiped the sweat from his brow, trying to catch his breath from his fight with Elena. "What do you want, Ian?""Want?" Ian's laugh was sharp. "I want to know how someone like you suddenly has this power. Do you know how many of us have trained for years trying to get where we are? How many nights have we spent perfecting our techniques?"In the stands, a professor leaned toward his colleague. "This should be interesting. Ian's never lost his composure like this before.""He's jealous," another professor whispered back. "Can you blame him? He's spent years trying to gain a second element.""Let's make this simple," Ian called out, raising his hands. "Show everyone what a fraud you are!"The ground erupted beneath Miko's feet, but he was already moving, slidi
Sovereign of The Abyss Chapter 16
For a moment, all that could be heard was heavy breathing and the tension in the air. The silence stretched until—Clap... Clap... Clap...A lone figure stood in the upper stands, their slow applause echoing through the arena."Did you see that?" a voice called out. "Did you all see what he just did?"Another person stood, joining the applause. "He beat Ian! He actually beat him!"The applause spread like wildfire, until the entire stadium was on their feet."Miko! Miko! Miko!""The ash user did it!""This is incredible!"A student leaned over the railing, shouting, "Hey, Ian! How's it feel to have your perfect technique read like a children's book?"Ian pushed himself to his feet, his voice tight. "You... you planned this from the start?""No," Miko replied, keeping his voice level. "I just learned to watch. Something you never had to do."The Principal rose from his seat, raising his hands. The crowd gradually fell silent."Well," he said, his voice carrying across the arena, "it
Sovereign of The Abyss Chapter 17
"What is that?" someone coughed.Clang. Clang. Clang.More canisters followed, thrown to cover every corner of the arena."Tear gas!" Elena shouted, already creating a barrier of fire around her team members. "Everyone, cover your faces!"Chaos erupted as students pushed toward the exits. Through streaming eyes, Miko spotted a figure walking calmly through the growing smoke toward the arena's center."Look," he grabbed Akiya's arm, pointing. "Their movements...""Too controlled," she agreed, wiping her eyes. "Shit! This was planned."The figure reached the center, and Miko's breath caught in his throat. In their hands was a mirror, its surface seeming to drink in what little light remained."No," he whispered. "Not here. Not now.""Miko?" Liam appeared through the smoke, coughing. "What's wrong? What are they—""Everyone back!" Miko's voice cut through the panic. "Get away from the center!"But it was too late. The figure had already knelt, placing the mirror on the ground.On the mir
Sovereign of The Abyss Chapter 18
Just as darkness began pouring from the portal. Students braced themselves for whatever horror was about to emerge, but before the darkness could fully manifest, movement caught everyone's attention.A figure in pristine white garments stepped through the defensive line. His movement was slow despite the growing chaos around him."Is that—?" Elena started."The Church," Ian confirmed, his voice tight.The white-robed figure's footsteps echoed across the suddenly silent arena. Even the portal's otherworldly sounds seemed to dim in his presence."Stand aside," his voice rang with authority. Students and teachers alike found themselves stepping back instinctively.Miko felt his pendant grow colder as the Church member approached the mirror. The man's face showed no fear, no concern—only absolute certainty.Without hesitation or ceremony, he raised his hand toward the corrupted surface."Ignis holis."The words seemed to split the air itself. Brilliant white flame erupted from his palm, e
Sovereign of The Abyss Chapter 19
The walk back to the dorms was quiet, each student processing the Church's display of power. Moonlight cut sharp shadows across their path through the ancient trees."You know," Miko said suddenly, a hint of amusement in his voice, "for all the fighting I've done, I realize I don't know shit about how this world really works."Akiya glanced at him, her usual fiery demeanor surfacing. "That reminds me - how the hell did you beat Elena and Ian without a magic circle? That shouldn't even be possible!""Magic circle?" Miko raised an eyebrow. "The hell is that?""Wait, seriously?" Liam yawned, stretching lazily against a tree. "Man, that's like... basic stuff. Every mage manifests their circle after they’ve grown strong enough—" he said "—and when you’ve gone past a certain level you can use appraisal to see the mana circle of others.""Been too busy getting bullied to learn the theory," Miko shrugged, his tone casual but with an edge. "Or getting 'disciplined' for embarrassing the Valen
Sovereign of The Abyss Chapter 20
They crested the final hill beyond the academy gates, and Lunaris sprawled before them. Magic lights dotted the cityscape, from the bright noble district towers to the dim flickers of the lower quarters."So this is Lunaris," Miko said, taking in the view. The city was nothing like the rigid walls of the Valen mansion.Akiya bounced on her toes, pointing excitedly. "See those tall towers? Those are the magic scientist’s tower’s Each one tries to outshine the others with their light shows.""Waste of magic if you ask me," Liam said, hands in his pockets. He'd found a patch of grass and was already settling down."Liam, we just got here," Akiya protested."Just resting my eyes."Anna stood slightly apart from the group, her hands clasped together. "Maybe we should head back? The city's different at night..."Miko turned to her, his usual sharp expression softening. "Hey, it'll be fine. We'll stick together, and I promise we won't do anything too crazy." He grinned. "Just crazy enough to
Sovereign of The Abyss Chapter 21
The crowd led them deeper into the market district, where the bright magical lights gave way to darker streets. Here, the enchanted lamps flickered, as if unsure whether to illuminate or hide what happened beneath them."Gods, it stinks down here," Liam mumbled, pulling his collar over his nose."That's what happens when you mix bad potions with worse sewage," Akiya said, still bouncing ahead despite the surroundings.Two men passed by, arguing in low voices."The Cat masked-man fights in the ring below Jin's shop," one whispered."Shut up!" his companion hissed. "You want the Church to hear?"Miko glanced at his teammates. "Jin's shop?""Potion seller," Liam said. "Well, that's what he pretends to be.""He sells everything the Church bans," Akiya added with a grin. "Combat enhancers, leveling crystals, you name it."Anna tugged at Miko's sleeve. "Those things are banned for a reason. They drive people mad, or worse.""Hey." Miko caught her hand. "Remember what I promised? Nothing too
Sovereign of The Abyss Chapter 22
Miko jumped into the arena, dust rising around his feet as he landed. The crowd's roar faded to a low hum of anticipation. "You sure about this?" Akiya called from above. "Not really," Miko grinned. "That's what makes it fun." The Cat stood motionless, their white mask catching the dim light. Up close, Miko could see frost patterns on their clothes, remnants of previous fights. "The boy who walked out of the Abyss," the Cat's voice carried across the arena. "Show me if you deserved to survive." The fight started without warning. The Cat moved first, the air around them crystallizing. Shards of ice shot toward Miko like glass daggers. Miko dodged, but the Cat was already moving, the ground freezing beneath their feet as they flanked him with surprising speed. Another burst of ice forced him back. "Cold welcome," Miko said, studying his opponent's movements. "Let's see how your fire holds against true ice." He launched his own attack, flames mixing with ash in a gray-orange burs
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Chapter 119
The silence after the ash shockwave was absolute. Trees that had groaned under the weight of mist now stood eerily still, leaves unmoving, the air cold with a kind of supernatural stillness.Akiya was the first to move."That light—" she began, already pushing through the trees. "That was Miko. I know it.""How do you know?" Liam asked, falling in beside her."Because I felt it," she said, eyes locked forward. "That pulse. It was him. I don’t know how, but it was him."The others hesitated only a second before following.Branches snapped beneath their boots. The forest was slowly returning to normal, but the air still held a heaviness—as if mourning something invisible that had passed. The path twisted, trees now parted in ways they hadn’t been before, and the ground showed signs of disruption: scorched patches, cracked stone, and a strange black residue that clung to roots and bark like soot.Then they saw him.Miko stood at the edge of a collapsed ridge, where the forest met a steep
Chapter 118
As he prepared to find a way back to the surface, Miko couldn't help wondering about the facility's original purpose. Who had built it? Why create weapons of such destructive potential? And most puzzling of all, why design them specifically for users with his exact elemental affinity—a combination so rare it had apparently vanished from the world until his own emergence?The questions would have to wait. His priority now was finding a way out of this underground vault and reuniting with his team. With the fog entity still active above, they were likely facing their own challenges, possibly in danger.Miko located what appeared to be a maintenance shaft in one corner of the facility, its ladder leading upward toward the surface. Before climbing, he took one last look at the activated lantern, its potential both fascinating and terrifying."I'll be back for you," he promised the device. "Once this mission is over."**While Miko explored the ancient facility below, the other groups cont
Chapter 117
Miko returned to the central chamber of the underground facility, still puzzling over the crumbling lanterns. The place was vast, stretching further than he'd managed to explore so far, but one section had caught his attention—a room that appeared to be an office or study, its walls lined with what might generously be called books, though they were unlike any he'd seen before."If I'm going to figure this place out, might as well start with the records," he decided, entering the study.The "books" were actually thin metal plates bound together with some kind of flexible alloy, their surfaces covered with the same symbols he'd seen throughout the facility. Most were incomprehensible to him, but some contained diagrams he could interpret—schematics for equipment, illustrations of elemental energy flows, and most interestingly, drawings of the lanterns he'd found."So these were important," he murmured, carefully turning the delicate metal pages of one volume.The diagrams showed the lan
Chapter 116
Miko didn't have time to scream as the ground collapsed beneath him. One moment he was standing in the fog-shrouded forest, the next he was plummeting through darkness, his stomach lurching from the sudden drop. His Ash element swirled around him instinctively, trying to slow his descent but finding nothing solid to grip.The fall lasted only seconds before he crashed through some kind of membrane—a sensation like breaking through thin ice—and then hit solid ground with bone-jarring force. He rolled automatically, distributing the impact as he'd been taught in Academy training."Ugh," he groaned, lying on his back and taking inventory of his body. Nothing seemed broken, though he'd definitely have bruises tomorrow. If there was a tomorrow.After a moment to catch his breath, Miko sat up and summoned his Ash element to provide illumination. The shadows gathered around his hand, creating a dim glow that pushed back the absolute darkness."What the hell...?" he muttered, looking around.
Chapter 115
"There it is again," Akiya whispered, her flame briefly flaring brighter. "Did you see it?"Liam and Lyra followed her gaze into the swirling fog, where a faint ripple of movement had disturbed the otherwise uniform mist."Probably just air currents," Lyra replied, though her tone lacked conviction. She'd been saying similar things for the past hour as they wandered through the endless fog, but even her professional skepticism was wearing thin."No," Akiya insisted, taking a step closer to the disturbance. "It's reacting to us. Watch."She extended her free hand toward the fog, not quite touching it. The mist immediately withdrew from her approach, creating a small pocket of clear air around her fingers."See? It's avoiding direct contact. That's not how normal fog behaves."Liam moved beside her, cautiously extending his own hand. The fog retreated from him as well, though less dramatically."She's right," he said, looking back at Lyra. "This isn't just some corruption manifestation.
Chapter 114
Shadows swirled around Miko's fingers as he navigated through the impenetrable fog. Without his Ash element, he would have been completely blind in the shifting mists that erased all sense of direction."Come on," he muttered to himself, extending his awareness through the shadows. "Give me something to work with."His Ash element responded, spreading outward like tendrils searching for solid references in the chaotic environment.Most of what the shadows found was just more fog, but occasionally they detected something solid—massive tree trunks, root structures, the occasional corrupted vegetation. Not enough to create a map, but sufficient to avoid walking into obstacles."Akiya!" he called out, more from habit than expectation. "Liam! Anna!"His voice seemed to travel only a few meters before the fog swallowed it completely. The neural link remained silent except for occasional bursts of static that made him wince.Miko closed his eyes, focusing on his connection to the void. If no
Chapter 113
"What is that?" Liam asked, pointing at the strange haze that had appeared on the horizon as they continued their journey through the massive forest.The fog wasn't like anything they'd seen before in the Abyss. it shimmered with an oily iridescence, neither solid nor gas, spreading across their path like a living curtain.Elena stepped forward, her expression grave as she studied the phenomenon. "It's an illusion barrier," she said. "A defense mechanism that typically appears near the core. The Church has documented these, but few who enter ever return to report what they experienced.""What exactly does it do?" Anna asked, moving closer to examine the strange fog from a safer distance."It distorts reality," Elena explained. "Makes you see things that aren't there, hide things that are. Some say it can even separate groups by making each person experience a different version of reality."Gregor snorted dismissively. "Church superstition. It's just another corruption manifestation."
Chapter 112
Twilight cast long shadows through the massive forest as Miko and Akiya sat on the edge of a giant leaf, dangling their legs over a drop that would have been fatal back in the normal world. The rest of their small group, Liam and the two remaining junior cadets—had fallen into an exhausted sleep after their narrow escape from the bee hive.Gregor's team hadn't yet caught up, leaving the younger members to recover while watching for signs of more corrupted creatures."You think they'll find a safer path forward?" Akiya asked, gesturing vaguely toward the direction Gregor and his team had disappeared an hour earlier."I think 'safer' is relative in the Abyss," Miko replied, rotating his shoulder to work out the stiffness from their earlier flight. "But maybe one with fewer giant insects."Akiya snorted, then grew quiet, her gaze fixed on the bizarre landscape stretching below them. Massive fruits glowed with bioluminescence as darkness gathered, creating constellation-like patterns thro
Chapter 111
They sprinted upward, Akiya taking point with her fire element creating a protective barrier ahead of them. As they neared the battle, Miko could see Gregor unleashing torrents of flame against the swarming insects while Damien created earth barriers to protect the less combat-oriented team members. Anna crouched behind one such barrier, her healing element active around Darin, who appeared to have taken a stinger hit to his shoulder."Incoming friendlies!" Miko shouted to prevent friendly fire as they approached. "Eastern ascent!"Gregor spared them a split-second glance before returning his attention to the swarm. "About time! We need to clear an exit path!"The combined teams formed a defensive circle, elements blazing as they fought to create an opening through the angry swarm. Liam's wind cut swathes through the air, disrupting the bees' flight patterns enough to make them vulnerable to Gregor and Akiya's coordinated fire attacks."The opening!" Elena pointed to a gap in the hive
