Time: 8:26 PM
The crowd had barely settled from Aria's stunning victory, but the energy in the colosseum hadn't faded. If anything—it had intensified.
Because now?
A battle that had been anticipated since the start of the tournament was about to begin.
Rin Kairo stood at the edge of the waiting area, rolling his shoulders, stretching his fingers. His Viatra pulsed faintly, the faint crimson glow flickering like dying embers.
His opponent was waiting for him.
And he was ready.
But before he could step forward—
A hand slapped his back.
"Try not to die."
Rin didn't have to turn around to know it was Aria.
He smirked. "I should say the same thing to you, but you actually survived."
Aria crossed her arms. "Tch. Don't get cocky. If you get your ass kicked out there, I'm never letting you live it down."
Lila grinned. "Good luck, Rin! Try not to let your weird, brooding loner aura get in the way of the fight!"
Rin sighed. "Thanks for the support."
And then—his gaze locked with Kai's.
For a moment, the world around them faded.
There was no crowd. No tournament. No distractions.
Just two warriors.
Two friends.
Kai smirked. "You better win."
Rin smirked back. "You too."
Then—he walked forward.
The moment he stepped onto the battlefield, the colosseum erupted.
As Rin disappeared into the arena tunnels, heading toward the battlefield, Kai leaned back against the wall, his expression unreadable.
Lila watched him carefully. "You and Rin… you're kind of the same, huh?"
Kai blinked. "What?"
She shrugged. "I mean, both of you are quiet, both of you act like you don't need anyone, both of you have these dark, tragic backstories…"
Aria scoffed. "Don't lump Kai in with Rin. Rin's the textbook definition of 'revenge arc material.'"
Kai didn't respond. His eyes were still locked on the tunnel.
Rin's Viatra flickered in his mind.
He finally spoke.
"The Black Clan wasn't always hunted."
Lila blinked. "What do you mean?"
Kai exhaled. "They were one of the most powerful clans in Chun. Their warriors were unmatched, their Seers could glimpse the future, their generals could end wars before they began. And all of that came from one thing…"
Aria finished the thought. "The Viatra."
Kai nodded. "The Omen Eyes."
Lila frowned. "But why were they wiped out? Wouldn't that kind of power make them untouchable?"
Kai's expression darkened.
"Power breeds fear."
Aria sighed, crossing her arms. "It's the same story every time. A clan gets too powerful, too feared, and suddenly, the entire world decides they're a threat."
Lila hesitated. "But… if they were that strong, how did they lose?"
Kai closed his eyes.
Because he knew the answer.
Because he had seen the same thing happen before.
"Betrayal."
Lila's eyes widened.
Aria looked down. "Damn."
Kai continued. "The Black Clan's downfall wasn't from outside forces. It was from within. Someone—a Seeker, a high-ranking one—sold them out. They gave their weaknesses to the enemies who feared them. And when the attacks came, they weren't ready."
Lila swallowed. "So… that's why Rin's family are the last ones?"
Kai nodded. "They wasn't supposed to be. But somehow, he survived."
Aria's gaze hardened. "And now? He's going to make sure no one ever forgets the Black Clan's name again."
Lila sighed. "This really is a revenge arc."
Kai chuckled. "Yeah. But if anyone deserves it… it's him."
The golden projection flickered again.
Next Match: Rin "The Black Phantom" Kairo vs. Kieran "The Hollow Reaper" Duskbane
The colosseum thundered.
The battle was about to begin.
Time: 8:30 PM
The colosseum was silent.
Not because the audience wasn't excited—but because they knew what kind of fight this was.
No wasted movement.
No mindless aggression.
No screaming battle cries.
This wasn't a battle of brute force.
This was a war of assassins.
The golden projection flickered.
The moment the names appeared, an eerie chill filled the arena.
The world wasn't prepared for this fight.
But the two warriors stepping onto the battlefield were.
RIN "THE BLACK PHANTOM" KAIRO
• Region: The Black Clan of Chun
• Muti Specialty: Martial (Advanced), Psychic (Advanced), Elemental (Basic), Abyssal-Gravitum (Early Mastery)
• Fighting Style: Assassination combat, battlefield control, instantaneous adaptation.
Rin stepped forward, silent as a shadow.
The moment his foot touched the battlefield, his aura disappeared.
Not dimmed. Not hidden.
Erased.
His Viatra flickered, his crimson eyes burning faintly.
His hands were loose, his body relaxed.
But he was already ready to kill.
Because this fight?
Was not going to be won by power.
It was going to be won by who could erase the other first.
KIERAN "THE HOLLOW REAPER" DUSKBANE
• Region: The Shadow Territories of Dravenmoor
• Muti Specialty: Abyssal (Master), Ruin (Master), Spectral (Advanced)
• Fighting Style: Silent execution, void manipulation, energy erasure.
Kieran was already there.
Standing in the center of the battlefield, arms crossed, not a single ounce of wasted energy in his stance.
His violet eyes flickered, unreadable.
His expression didn't change.
He didn't smirk.
He didn't speak.
Because Kieran Duskbane didn't need to intimidate.
He was death incarnate.
And death didn't announce itself.
Rin's eyes narrowed.
"He's waiting for me to move first."
Fine.
DING!
The moment the bell rang—
They vanished.
BOOOOM!
A shockwave erupted through the battlefield, sending dust and energy rippling outward.
For a split second—no one could see them.
Then—black and crimson streaks collided mid-air, their speed beyond human comprehension.
Abyssal daggers met spectral fists, Psychic feints were countered by void-based redirections, Every strike could have been lethal if the other wasn't just as fast.
Neither of them wasted a single movement.
This wasn't just combat.
This was surgical execution.
Kieran flicked his wrist—
A thin void blade materialized in his hand, pulsing with unstable energy.
He swung—
Rin's head tilted just an inch, dodging by a hair's breadth.
Kieran's blade carved the air where his throat had been.
Before Kieran could pull back—
Rin countered.
He twisted, his elbow blurring forward.
"Phantom Edge."
CRACK!
Kieran's jaw snapped sideways, his body skidding backward.
But he didn't fall.
Instead, he twisted mid-air, his feet planting against an invisible surface.
And then—
He disappeared.
Kieran reappeared above Rin, flipping mid-air.
His hands stretched outward.
The entire battlefield darkened.
The crowd gasped.
The arena itself became a black void, as if reality had been rewritten.
Rin's instincts screamed.
"Hollow Dominion."
Kieran's signature technique.
A Muti that didn't just manipulate shadows.
It erased the space they stood in.
Rin tried to move—
But his body was heavier.
His shadows weren't his anymore.
They belonged to Kieran.
And Kieran was already moving.
"Void Execution."
A black blade materialized in his grip—
And it came down like the hand of death.
For the first time in the fight, Rin was losing.
Every step was being erased.
Every movement was being predicted.
Every attack was being negated.
Kieran had turned the battlefield into a coffin.
Rin exhaled.
His Viatra pulsed.
For a split second—
The world slowed.
"Do you know why the world fears us?"
Rin, only a child, stood before the last elders of the Black Clan.
Their eyes glowed crimson.
"Because we do not see the world as it is."
His mentor stepped forward.
"We see it as it should be."
Rin's fingers twitched.
His Viatra burned.
And then—he saw it.
Kieran's blade came down—
And Rin vanished.
Not dodged.
Vanished.
For the first time, Kieran hesitated.
"…What?"
Rin reappeared.
Right behind him.
His Viatra was no longer flickering.
It was blazing.
His aura had become sharper, heavier, more precise.
Because now?
He wasn't reacting to the fight.
He was seeing it unfold before it happened.
"You lose."
Kieran barely had time to react before—
CRACK!
A perfect strike to his ribs.
Kieran stumbled.
Then—another strike.
Then—a third.
Rin's movements were no longer just fast.
They were inevitable.
Kieran lashed out desperately—
Rin dodged before he even moved.
The fight was decided.
"Phantom Breaker!"
Rin's final attack landed—
BOOM!
Kieran collapsed.
Silence.
Then—
"THE WINNER… RIN 'THE BLACK PHANTOM' KAIRO!"
The stadium erupted.
Rin exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders.
Kieran, still on the ground, coughed.
Then—he laughed.
"Hah… You really are Black Clan."
Rin smirked.
He extended a hand.
Kieran took it.
The battle was over.
But the tournament?
Had only just begun.
And soon?
Kai Xander's turn would come.
Time: 8:45 PM
The roar of the colosseum shook the air, but inside the reinforced observation chamber, the tension was quieter, heavier.
Here, seated above the battlefield, overlooking the greatest rookies of their generation, were the titans of the Voyager Association.
They were not here for entertainment.
They were here to judge.
Because whoever survived this tournament was more than just strong.
They would shape the future of Seekers themselves.
At the center of it all, sitting with casual dominance, was Master Elric.
His eyes flickered, analyzing the battlefield below with an almost detached gaze. His posture was relaxed, effortless, yet those who knew him understood—he missed nothing.
He had seen thousands of tournaments.
He had mentored legends.
But this one? This one was different.
Not because of the event itself.
But because of the ones fighting in it.
The first to break the silence was a massive, battle-scarred warrior, arms crossed over his chest like a living fortress of muscle and experience.
His flaming red hair, streaked with silver, burned under the dim lighting. His amber eyes gleamed with a sharp, almost amused glint.
This was General Rage—Supreme Commander of the Voyager Military, the "Crimson War God."
A man so feared in battle that entire nations surrendered at the mere rumor of his arrival.
He exhaled sharply, a smirk tugging at his scarred lips.
"That kid, Rin? He's got it."
Elric didn't look away from the battlefield. "Oh?"
Rage rolled his shoulders. "Cold. Precise. Doesn't waste movement. Doesn't hesitate. That's the kind of fighter who survives."
Seated beside him, tapping his gloved fingers against the table in measured rhythm, was a man in a high-collared military officer's coat, silver badges gleaming on his chest.
His posture was rigid—controlled to an almost unnatural degree.
His gaze, sharp and calculating, remained fixed on the battlefield below.
This was Denzel "Starbreaker" Lamar—one of Master Elric's finest disciples.
A man so dedicated to his singular mastery of Celestial Muti that he had rejected all other forms of power.
The only warrior in history to generate an infinite celestial beam from his bare hands.
He finally spoke, voice calm and level. "Rin Kairo is efficient. He understands battle instinctively. That's rare."
His fingers stilled. "But it's not his Viatra that makes him dangerous. It's his control."
He exhaled. "He doesn't just react. He reads. He adapts. He dictates the fight."
His gaze flickered toward Elric. "That's the mark of someone who will become a monster."
Elric hummed in agreement. "He reminds me of someone."
Denzel's silver eyes narrowed slightly. "Who?"
Elric smirked. "You."
Denzel paused.
General Rage grinned. "Damn. He's got a point."
For a moment, Denzel said nothing.
Then—a subtle nod. "Perhaps."
The conversation might have continued, but—
From the back of the room, where the shadows clung thickly, a soft chuckle cut through the tension.
"You all are watching the wrong kid."
Leaning against the back wall, his signature grin ever-present, was William "Wolf" Lancaster.
Master of Dream, Ruin, and Abyssal Muti.
Inventor of Abyssal Requiem.
Elric's second-best student.
And, more importantly—Kai Xander's mentor.
Elric finally turned toward him, his golden eyes sharpening slightly.
"Speaking of sharp blades, how did his training go?"
Wolf tilted his head, letting the words roll around in his mind.
Then—he laughed.
"Training? Oh, you mean that week where I let a teenage monk attempt to kill himself through sheer stubbornness?"
Elric smirked. "So he did it, then?"
Wolf's grin widened. "Oh, he did it."
General Rage raised an eyebrow. "Explain."
Wolf pushed off the wall, stretching lazily. "Let's just say when a kid who doesn't believe in limits spends a week under my training… things get interesting."
Elric's smirk remained.
But his golden eyes?
They gleamed with curiosity.
One Week Ago.
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the isolated cliffs far beyond the city.
The wind howled, sharp and merciless, carving through the stone like a blade.
And standing in the center of it all, shirt torn, body drenched in sweat, trembling—but still standing—was Kai Xander.
His breath was ragged.
His muscles screamed for relief.
But his eyes remained steady.
Across from him, Wolf sat on a boulder, completely unbothered.
He twirled a silver dagger between his fingers, grinning.
"You're still conscious. That's a good sign."
Kai wiped blood from his lip. "You talk too much."
Wolf chuckled. "You sound like me when I was your age."
His green eyes flickered.
Then, in a blink—he was gone.
Kai's instincts screamed.
SHIING!
A thin, glowing knife sliced through the air, aimed directly at his throat.
Kai moved without thinking.
His Martial Muti activated instinctively, his body twisting in a way that defied normal reaction speed.
The blade missed his neck by a millimeter.
Kai landed, skidding backward.
Wolf was already behind him.
"Too slow."
A blast of blackened energy erupted from Wolf's palm—
Kai barely managed to cross his arms to block.
BOOM!
His feet dug into the stone, shattering the ground beneath him.
Wolf didn't stop.
He didn't give room to breathe.
Because in real combat—breathing meant death.
Kai vanished.
Reappeared above him.
"Bodhi Muti—Flowing Lotus!"
His fist descended like a meteor, spectral energy wrapping around his form.
Wolf's smirk widened.
And then—he caught it.
Effortlessly.
Kai's eyes widened.
Wolf tilted his head. "Not bad. But not enough."
Kai barely had time to process before—Wolf drove a knee into his stomach.
Everything went black.
Wolf chuckled. "He has talent. A lot of it."
Elric leaned forward, resting his chin on his fist. "And?"
Wolf's grin faded slightly.
His eyes sharpened.
"He's different."
The room went silent.
Even General Rage raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"
Wolf exhaled. "Kai isn't just strong. He isn't just skilled. He's…"
He searched for the right word.
Then, finally, he found it.
"Limitless."
Elric's eyes flickered.
Wolf smirked. "Keep an eye on him."
Time: 8:50 PM
The roar of the crowd was still deafening as Rin stepped off the battlefield, his body aching but his mind sharp.
His Viatra still flickered faintly in his irises, the last remnants of his heightened perception fading as the adrenaline began to settle.
His breathing was controlled, his expression unreadable as always.
He had won.
Of course, he had.
But as soon as he stepped back into the waiting area…
Lila tackled him.
"RIN! YOU'RE ALIVE!" she wailed dramatically, clinging onto him like a koala.
Rin's entire body stiffened. "…Get off."
"I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONE FOREVER!" Lila continued, shaking him violently. "THAT SHADOWY NIGHTMARE WAS GONNA SWALLOW YOU WHOLE, BUT THEN YOU WENT VWOOM AND THEN ZOOM AND THEN—"
"Lila." Rin's voice was deadpan. "Breathe."
Lila gasped for air, still clinging to him.
Kai, standing with his arms crossed, snickered. "Nice moves, Black Phantom."
Aria smirked, leaning against the wall. "Gotta admit, that was a pretty badass win."
Lila finally let go, only to start aggressively shaking his shoulders again. "BUT WHY DID YOU LOOK SO COOL DOING IT?! WHY DO YOU ALL GET COOL MOMENTS BUT ME?!"
Rin sighed, prying her off. "That's because you scream and trip over things mid-fight."
Lila gasped. "LIES AND SLANDER."
Aria rolled her eyes. "She's not wrong, though."
Lila pointed at Aria with the fury of a thousand betrayed souls. "ET TU, ARIA?!"
Kai chuckled, shaking his head. "In all seriousness though…"
He stepped forward, locking eyes with Rin.
For a moment, there was no teasing, no jokes—just mutual respect.
Kai smirked. "You really are Black Clan."
Rin's crimson Viatra dimmed slightly, his expression unreadable.
Then—a small, almost imperceptible smirk.
The moment of seriousness lasted all of three seconds.
Because Lila suddenly gasped again.
"WAIT A MINUTE."
The entire team flinched.
Kai pinched the bridge of his nose. "…Lila, what now?"
Lila whirled toward Aria. "AREN'T WE GONNA TALK ABOUT HOW YOU FREAKING PUNCHED A GUY SO HARD HE BROKE THE STADIUM?"
Aria blinked.
"…I mean, yeah, but did you see Rin's fight?"
Lila threw her hands up. "Y'ALL ARE PSYCHOPATHS, I SWEAR—"
Kai grinned. "Did you only just now realize this?"
Rin sighed. "And here I thought the pain was over."
Aria shrugged. "Nah, welcome back to reality."
Lila crossed her arms dramatically. "I swear, I'm the only normal one on this team."
Kai, Rin, and Aria all stared at her.
Lila blinked. "…What?"
Aria squinted. "You're delusional."
Kai nodded. "Very much so."
Rin sighed, rubbing his temples. "Let's not lie to ourselves."
Lila clutched her chest like they had just stabbed her. "BETRAYED. ONCE AGAIN. WHERE IS THE LOYALTY?"
Kai patted her head. "You lost that when you tried to put hot sauce in my tea this morning."
Lila grinned mischievously. "No regrets."
Rin exhaled slowly, looking around at his team.
For the first time since the fight, he felt… lighter.
Sure, his body was aching.
Sure, he was exhausted.
But right now?
He was exactly where he belonged.
With them.
With his team.
And for now—that was enough.
Meanwhile… The Masters Are Watching
Up in the observation chamber, the legendary Seekers watched the team's interaction with amusement.
General Rage snorted. "That team is a damn mess."
Denzel nodded in agreement. "But they're dangerous."
Wolf, leaning back with a smirk, chuckled. "Oh, you have no idea."
Elric simply smirked.
Because soon—Kai's turn would come.
And the world would see exactly why the next generation of Seekers was about to change everything.