A week after returning from Silverstone Mines, the atmosphere around Nihil had fundamentally changed. The strange fame he'd gained after the Open Examination had now metamorphosed into something else—an aura of fear and reluctant respect.
As he walked through the academy's grand corridors, students no longer whispered taunts. They fell silent and stepped aside, giving him room as if he were a noble or a monster liable to explode at any moment. Their gazes were a mix of curiosity from theory students who wanted to dissect his mind, and wariness from combat students who'd heard exaggerated tales of how he'd single-handedly destroyed a crystal golem army.
Nihil ignored it all. His attention was fixed on a large holographic bulletin board in the main hall that had just been activated.
REGISTRATION FOR THE MONTHLY RANK DUEL IS NOW OPEN
Challenge Period: Three Days. Battles will commence thereafter.
Beneath the announcement was a list of duel rankings from the Academy Champion down to the lowest in Iron Rank. And at the very bottom, in a separate section, was a long list of names of first-year Unranked students. His name was there, among hundreds of others.
This was his opportunity. Victory in the Glowing Bowl had given him money. Success in the mine mission had enhanced his power. But all of that had happened outside, in the chaotic world. Here, within the academy, status was everything. And status was earned in the arena.
He walked to the registration desk, where a nervous administrator sat. "I wish to register," said Nihil.
"Certainly, Mr. Nihil," the administrator stammered, not daring to meet his eyes. "As an Unranked student, you have the right to challenge anyone in Iron Rank, from position 300 to 151."
A holographic panel appeared before Nihil, displaying profiles of 150 fighters. Heze's mind immediately went to work, scanning the data at super speed. He wasn't looking for the weakest opponent. That would be inefficient and wouldn't send the right message. He was searching for an optimal target.
Criterion One: Fighting Style. He needed an opponent who relied on basic elemental magic, particularly earth or stone. After the mine battle, he had ample data on such magic and had formulated several hypotheses for Conceptual Refining.
Criterion Two: Reputation. His opponent had to be well-known enough that their defeat would be noticed. Beating an obscure fighter would mean nothing.
Criterion Three: Affiliation. Ideally, someone connected to Darius's faction, to send a subtle message that their truce didn't mean he was weak.
After a few minutes of analysis, he found him.
Roric "The Crusher" - Rank #250. A third-year commoner student. Specialized in earth magic, which he used to strengthen his body and deliver brutal physical attacks. Known as a bully who often targeted weak first-year students. Perfect.
"I challenge Roric, rank 250," Nihil said to the administrator.
The administrator was taken aback. Roric was a very dangerous choice for a first battle. "A-Are you sure, sir? Roric is notorious..."
"I am sure," Nihil cut in.
The news spread within minutes. Across the academy, student communication crystals buzzed. The anomaly, the Echo of Nothingness, was finally set to make his official arena debut.
In the cafeteria, Silas the information broker immediately opened a betting board. "Nihil's first duel! Against Roric the Crusher! Who's willing to bet on the zero-genius after what happened in the mine?" Strangely, bets flowed for both sides.
In the healing garden, Celia and Gideon Stonehand approached Nihil. "Roric?" said Gideon in his deep, quiet voice. "He's a bad man. He once destroyed a small golem of a friend of mine just for fun. Be careful, Nihil. He shows no mercy."
In the noble training grounds, Orion Vex laughed heartily. "Finally! That monster will face a real fighter! Roric will crush him into dust!"
Darius val-Luminar, who was practicing, merely paused briefly. He said nothing. He just stared at the main arena. He wanted to see it with his own eyes. He wanted to see how Nihil would handle raw power without being able to hide behind the chaos of team battles.
That night, Nihil didn't go to the library. He went to training warehouse number seven, given by Zander. The room was cold and silent.
He didn't practice swordplay or physical moves. He simply stood in the middle of the room. He placed his hands on the cold stone floor. He closed his eyes.
Conceptual Refining began.
Analysis: Roric's earth magic strengthens existing matter, increasing density and giving it form. The principle is 'condensation'.
Hypothesis: If the opponent is 'condensation', then the antithesis is 'decay'. I don't need to destroy the stone. I just need to erase the concept of 'density' from the stone.
He channeled a drop of his Capacity into the floor. A small stone in front of him didn't shatter. The stone gradually turned into fine sand.
He was ready.
The third duel arena was packed. Even for an Iron Rank battle, Nihil's presence had drawn the attention of the entire academy. In the spectator stands, all key figures were present: Alina, Zander, and Theron sat on the faculty balcony. Selene and Seraphina observed from the noble tribune. Darius stood in the very front row, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
In the center of the arena, Roric the Crusher was warming up. He was massive, his muscles bulging. He pounded his fists, already coated in rough stone gloves thanks to his magic. This earth and stone arena was his domain.
"So you're the little monster that's got everyone scared," roared Roric as Nihil stepped into the arena. "I don't care what tricks you used in that mine. Here, it's all about power! And I'll show you what real power is!"
Nihil merely stared at him silently, taking his position across from Roric.
The referee, an instructor from the combat department, raised his hand. "Rank Duel #250! Roric versus Nihil! Begin!"
Roric wasted no time. He stomped his foot. "[Earth Skin]!" His entire body was coated in a thin layer of stone, making him look like a living golem. Then he charged forward like a rampaging bull, his stone-clad fist aimed straight for Nihil's face.
The spectators held their breath. The attack was powerful enough to shatter the magical shield of an average student.
Nihil didn't dodge. He waited. Just as Roric's fist was mere centimeters from his face, he moved. Not a wide evasive maneuver, but a minimal body shift he had learned from Zander. He rotated his hips, letting the giant fist pass by his head, then lightly patted Roric's outstretched elbow.
The light pat disrupted Roric's balance. The giant stumbled past Nihil, his own momentum nearly causing him to fall.
"How dare you!" Roric growled, feeling humiliated. He turned and slammed his hand into the ground. "[Stalagmite Prison]!"
Sharp stone spikes shot out from the ground around Nihil, trying to impale and trap him. This was his signature move.
But Nihil had anticipated it. As the spikes emerged, he didn't jump or run. He stomped his foot on the ground.
[Using Atom Manipulation. Application: Structural Decay Wave.]
[Capacity: 40/40 -> 37/40]
The sharp stone spikes, just before fully hardening, suddenly lost their density. They turned into harmless mud and sand, collapsing around Nihil's feet.
The entire arena fell silent. In the stands, Darius straightened his posture.
"My magic...?" Roric stared in disbelief.
"Your foundation is too fragile," Nihil said, his cold voice clear in the quiet arena.
He placed his palm on the arena floor. A [Decay Wave] spread from him like ripples in water. All the ground around Roric, within a five-meter radius, turned into thick quicksand.
"Argh!" Roric screamed as his legs began to sink. He tried to pull himself out, but the more he struggled, the deeper he was sucked in.
Nihil calmly walked closer.
In his panic, Roric mustered the last of his magic, pulling a large stone fragment from the arena wall and hurling it at Nihil. "DIE!"
The stone fragment was the size of a man. But Nihil didn't flinch. He simply raised his hand.
[Using Void Grasp.]
[Capacity: 37/40 -> 35/40]
The stone fragment vanished into thin air, mere inches before hitting him. No sound. No dust. Just nothingness.
Now, there was nothing left. Nihil stood before Roric, who was trapped up to his waist in the mud. The once-proud giant now trembled with fear.
Nihil didn't strike him. He didn't harm him. He merely extended a single finger and touched the [Earth Skin] protection on Roric's chest.
He whispered a single word, audible only to Roric. "Erase."
The stone protection covering Roric's entire body cracked, then crumbled into dust, leaving him defenseless.
Roric gazed into the cold crimson eyes, eyes that showed no anger or triumph, only emptiness. He saw an infinite abyss.
"I... I surrender," Roric whispered, his voice trembling.
The referee, who had been frozen in shock, finally snapped back to reality. "The winner... Nihil!"
The complete silence erupted into thunderous cheers and disbelieving whispers. It wasn't a spectacular battle. It was a quiet, methodical slaughter.
On the holographic rankings board, a name gradually faded from rank #250. And at the very bottom of the list, a new name appeared.
#250: Nihil.
He had taken the first step up the ladder. He looked up, his gaze passing over hundreds of names, pausing briefly at rank #3, where Darius val-Luminar's name shone brightly.
His journey was still very long.