Issac clenched his fists, eyes narrowing as he activated his skill. "Event Collapse," he muttered. Reality seemed to bend around his hands. The energy spheres twisted unnaturally, folding in on themselves as if being crushed by an invisible weight. They imploded with soft pops, not explosions, just disappearing into nothingness, their force nullified entirely.
Luke blinked. "Huh." That brief distraction was enough. Lilly raised her hand, violet light rippling around her. The air shimmered, then shoved. A massive, invisible force slammed into Luke. Dust kicked up in a ring from his position. The marble under his feet cracked, the arena floor groaning from the strain.
The professors watching from the surveillance balcony straightened in shock. One of them, a battle-hardened instructor named Hawken, let out a low whistle. "He's... standing?" he muttered.
Claudia, leaning over the railing, remained still. But her eyes glinted with a heat that had nothing to do with her golden fire. In the arena, Luke adjusted his stance as the energy pressure ebbed. "That's some force," he said mildly, brushing a fleck of dust off his shirt. He looked completely unharmed.
The twins regrouped, standing shoulder to shoulder as they caught their breath. Issac stepped forward and pointed to the ground, then to Luke. "That was my skill, Event Collapse. I can force a singularity into anything I touch, make it implode or explode depending on what it's made of. Energy, matter, it doesn't matter. It all obeys the same rule: collapse."
Luke tilted his head. "Neat trick," he said. "Why tell me, though? I'm the enemy, not your diary."
Issac's face tightened. "It's my battle honor. I face my opponent on even terms. I don't do sneak attacks or hide my strength. That's the Issac way."
Luke blinked. "Right. Ok? Good luck with that." He didn't sound sarcastic, more genuinely baffled.
Lilly rolled her eyes slightly at her brother but said nothing. Her gaze flicked to Luke and lingered. Despite how casual he looked, they hadn't even managed to scratch him. He was handling them like a minor exercise. Before anyone could move again, a slow, deliberate clap echoed across the arena. Claudia stepped forward, her voice cutting through the fading tension like a blade.
"That's enough."
The twins looked at her, a mixture of frustration and disappointment in their eyes. Claudia's expression was unreadable, but her tone was firm. "You two have potential. No doubt. But you're not on Luke's level, at least not yet. Or Kalab's, for that matter." She softened slightly. "But that's why you're here. Train. Grow stronger. Catch up."
Issac clenched his fists but nodded. "We will."
Lilly crossed her arms, giving Luke a thoughtful look. "Next time will be different."
"Looking forward to it," Luke replied with a lazy grin.
Claudia turned to Luke. "And you?"
"I'm staying," he said, folding his arms. "This place has what I need. And I've got more than enough food from that supply depot ambush."
Claudia nodded. "Then I'm staying too." She stretched, golden embers flickering off her fingertips. "Might as well make this our temporary base. Twins, go get our team. We'll set up camp."
The twins looked at each other, sharing a thought without words. 'She just wants to be alone with him,' they both silently complained, but wisely chose to keep their mouths shut.
With a final glance back, they left. Luke, now alone with Claudia, turned away from where the twins had left with all the broken buildings and apocalyptic scene. His thoughts shifted inward. 'System,' he said silently, 'copy both their affinities.'
[Affinities copied: Gravity (Tier–7), Dark Energy (Tier–8)]
'Good. Now... use the roll I've been saving.'
[Rolling... Roll 1: Tier–4. Roll 2: Tier–5. Roll 3: Tier–6. Roll 4: Tier–7. Roll 5: Tier–8.]
[Final Result: Tier–8]
Luke groaned internally. "That's five rolls! That's like two weeks of quests down the drain!"
[Clam down, you still have 32 rolls remaining.]
He sulked as he stood motionless, eyes narrowed but expression neutral. Claudia, humming, had set up a small makeshift stove using a controlled golden flame. A rich, savory scent began to fill the air. "You're sulking," she said without looking up.
"I'm contemplating the weight of wasted fortune," he replied dryly.
She smiled faintly and stirred the pot. "What fortune are you talking about? Plus, even if you lost a few thousand gold coins, it will be nothing in front of what you earn a day."
Luke sighed and said, "Only if you know."
{Kalab Pov}
Kalab stood atop the highest peak of Mount Serai, arms folded, silver robes fluttering in the biting wind. His sharp gaze scanned the valley below, where settlers from the southern regions were busy building a new settlement, erecting stone houses, laying wooden beams, and carving out paths among the rocks. Smoke from cookfires curled upward in thin trails.
A soft smile tugged at Kalab's lips. For all the training and pride he had, this-this creation of community, reminded him of the peace he longed for. But the moment of peace vanished in an instant. A sharp, discordant ripple tore through the ambient energy of the land. Kalab's smile faded. His eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze toward the northern wall of the valley, a fortification built to keep out the more hostile factions.
The surge wasn't natural with a gust of divine light; he vanished. At the valley's front gate, tension had already escalated. George and Blair Thornecrest stood just outside the perimeter wall, their identical, wide grins practically glowing in the afternoon sun. They were the kind of twins who shared more than just blood, they shared chaos, mischief, and a love for battle that danced at the edge of madness.
Blair stepped forward first, fingers dripping red as she conjured a dense sphere of blood. It shimmered for a moment, vibrating like a living organ, before hardening into a gleaming crimson cannonball. "Let's knock," she said sweetly and hurled it.
BOOM!
The cannonball slammed into the wall with a shattering boom. Dust and stone erupted into the air as people screamed and scrambled from the impact zone. Cracks spiderwebbed outward. Then the wall gave way with a groan and a crash, chunks of stone tumbling in every direction. But the soldiers were not idle. Within seconds, soldiers surged from the broken hole in the ball, armor glinting and weapons drawn. They charged with grim determination, knowing exactly who they were up against.
The Thornecrests laughed as blood surged in waves beneath their feet, responding to Blair's will. She raised both hands, and long, curved blades formed midair, dozens of them glistening as if freshly torn from a butcher's hook. "Catch," she said.
The blood blades shot forward, whistling through the air. The soldiers raised shields of earth, flame, and ice, defending themselves against the rain of razors. Some were injured with deep cuts that sizzled unnaturally, but none were fatal. Others defended themselves perfectly. That was the Thornecrest way; they loved fighting but hated needless killing, and somehow, they were placed in charge of the empire's strategic force.
George dashed ahead, summoning a blood-forged sword nearly his height. It pulsed with strange life, swinging effortlessly in his grip as he met the soldiers head-on. Each clash rang like a war drum, blades bouncing off steel and spells. But George was smiling the whole time. Not a cruel smile, an honest one. He lived for this. For the test of strength. For the fire in his veins. For the art of the fight.
Despite their power, the Thornecrest held back. No killing. Not unless it was necessary. Then came the second wave, more defenders, more magic, more fury. "Alright, alright," George muttered, flicking blood from his sword. "Let's wrap this up before they start getting clever."
He raised his hand, signaling Blair for another coordinated strike. She was already forming new weapons, blood boiling with anticipation. And then, light.
A series of radiant beams descended from the heavens with a force that shattered the sound barrier. Each blood blade was pierced mid-flight, vanishing in bursts of golden energy. A hush fell over the battlefield as soldiers and Thornecrests alike turned their eyes skyward. Kalab hovered above, robes now glowing faintly with divine magic, a golden halo-like aura surrounding his form. His staff gleamed like a sword of judgment. His expression was calm.
"Enough." His voice echoed like a cathedral bell, both commanding and holy.
George sighed, tilting his head. "Really? You always ruin the fun."
"You're attacking a developing colony," Kalab said, descending slowly, landing with featherlight grace. "This is not a battlefield. If you want war, then we can set the location up; however, attacking us in our homes is not how the empire should behave."
Blair giggled behind her hand. "Then they should defend it better. Maybe hire some professionals."
A pulse of light rippled outward from Kalab, erasing the remaining blood constructs as if they were chalk drawings in the rain. "Return to your domain, Thornecrests," Kalab warned. "Or I will escort you myself."
George spun his sword once and shrugged. "Fair enough. We got our fun. Blood's boiling. Guess that's enough for one day. We want to challenge you to a duel at the base of the mountain. If you lose, you surrender your points to us, but if you win, you gain our alliance."
Blair turned to leave, twirling a crimson dagger like a baton. "See ya, holy boy. Don't miss us too much."
Kalab didn't respond. He simply watched until they vanished into the tree line, then turned to the soldiers. "Repair the wall. I'll help reinforce the defenses afterward."