Eylan's emotions were in turmoil.
The opponent standing before him showed not a shred of mercy in his eyes.
It was the same enemy he had faced before, yet for some unknown reason, he felt more threatening than ever.
The very atmosphere around Willian had changed. In their first battle, he had been wrapped in arrogance and overconfidence, like someone utterly certain of his own superiority. Now, however, he radiated something different: a deadly, silent coldness. The presence of an experienced hunter, whose mind stayed calm as he observed his prey.
Still, a mere change in mindset wouldn't be enough to transform someone this much.
'His clan… did they give him soul fragments?'
A physical manifestation of a broken Soul Core containing leftover Soul Essence. Awakened grow stronger by extracting and consuming the corresponding material: soul fragments.
Absorbing soul fragments increases the maximum capacity of the Soul Core. The essence can be used to summon Memories and Echoes or activate advanced Aspect Abilities. Afterward, it slowly regenerates back to full capacity.
As a direct consequence, strength increased.
Even so, Eylan didn't feel afraid. In fact, there was no reason to refuse this fight.
His reputation was already set: a kid from the outskirts who had obtained a True Name "by luck." Losing here wouldn't stain his status.
His goal wasn't to win.
It was to measure his own level.
Of course… if he got the chance to grind Willian's face into the floor, he wouldn't refuse. Eylan still had a bit of pride flowing through his veins.
Taking a deep breath, Eylan calmed himself and raised the tide within. Focus was essential.
His thoughts slowly aligned. His mind became clear, the colors around him seeming more vivid, more alive.
At last, his state stabilized.
Then, the firm voice of the Awakened Rock echoed through the dojo:
"You may begin!"
The two fighters stared each other down at the center of the ring, analyzing every detail. Only a few seconds passed.
Then the clash began.
Willian moved first, zigzagging forward until he reached Eylan. His aura took on a deep royal-blue hue, dense and heavy—far more oppressive than before.
Eylan didn't lag behind.
Tiny arcs of lightning escaped from his irises, while the tips of his hair gained a faint bluish tint. He lunged forward at the same time.
As they closed in, Willian twisted his body and brought his right arm down in a precise arc, aiming for Eylan's collarbone.
Eylan reacted at the very last moment, retreating with explosive speed.
Deep marks from his feet were carved into the dojo floor.
But Willian's attack wasn't over.
He spun again, executing a spinning hook kick.
Eylan saw the strike coming but knew he wouldn't dodge in time. Raising his arms, he blocked—but the force was enough to make his bones tremble.
The mat cracked.
His body was dragged several meters backward.
'I knew it… he really did get stronger!'
His theory was right. But this wasn't the time to dwell on it.
Without giving Willian a chance to recover, Eylan shot forward. His body became a blur to the spectators.
In the blink of an eye, they were face to face.
Even though he knew almost nothing about martial arts, some things were common knowledge.
Aiming for Willian's jaw, Eylan threw the strongest punch he could.
Willian reacted instantly. His expression tightened, the blue aura intensifying and coating both arms. His movements accelerated as his forearms crossed in front of his face.
Eylan's punch landed with force—but Willian blocked it.
Even so, Willian was sent flying backward.
His breath hitched for a moment.
The shock was clear in his eyes.
Willian's racing thoughts nearly spilled from his mouth.
'How…?! How is he still this strong?!'
But that wouldn't stop him.
The trust placed in him would not be betrayed.
Here and now, he would win.
Separated once more, the two enemies watched each other carefully, assessing their conditions.
That had only been the first exchange.
What followed was far more suffocating.
They clashed fiercely, each trying to bring the other down. Eylan used his reinforced strength to react and counterattack, punishing every mistake Willian made with heavy blows.
Willian, in turn, responded with refined technique and martial mastery, maintaining pressure without yielding.
The students shouted excitedly, treating the fight like a spectacle. Their voices blended with the dull sound of impacts.
"Go, Willian! Show that rat what legacies are made of!"
"Don't give up, Eylan! Make that spoiled brat taste defeat!"
With every moment, the fight grew more fluid. Inside the ring, the two looked like they were performing a dance—beautiful, precise… and brutal.
They were at a stalemate.
Until something changed.
Eylan began to feel the weight.
Drops of sweat fell from his hair.
His chest rose and fell without pause.
His movements, once fast and packed with tremendous power, were starting to slow.
There was one reason for that.
His current physical condition.
It was something he wished he could ignore, but the truth couldn't be changed. His body was naturally weak.
While other Sleepers had grown up in proper environments, Eylan had survived in the outskirts—where simply staying alive as a child was already a challenge.
The only reason he could face people stronger than himself was because his Divine Aspect allowed him to double his capacity.
But that power wasn't limitless.
If he was weak, even doubling it only made him twice as weak.
Willian seemed to have noticed as well. A smile crept onto his face as he increased the pressure on Eylan.
Seeing himself in a tough situation, Eylan came up with a strategy. It was risky, but if it worked… he would win.
Using his speed, he abruptly retreated, opening distance. The sudden move put Willian on guard.
The audience fell silent, watching the situation unfold.
Eylan focused, and the air grew damp.
A spear of water formed in his hands—simple, yet surprisingly solid.
Eylan charged toward Willian.
Willian didn't stay still, preparing for the attack.
When Eylan reached him with the spear, he thrust forward, aiming for the chest.
Willian blocked with his left arm, wrapped in blue aura. With his right arm, he grabbed the shaft of the spear and yanked it toward himself—pulling Eylan along.
With a kick, Eylan was thrown away. The spear dissolved in Willian's hands.
Water pooled around his feet.
Shouts erupted from the stands.
Anger surged within Eylan.
His senses dulled by pain, a ringing filled his ears.
On his knees, Eylan lifted his gaze.
Willian stood tall, looking down at him proudly.
His face practically screamed victory.
Yet Eylan responded not with shock or despair…
But with a smile.
He knew. He knew he couldn't defeat him with brute force alone.
He also feared what might happen if he raised the tide of the Sea of Souls any further.
That was why he couldn't rely solely on power—but on intellect as well.
Even with his flaw affecting his emotions, he wouldn't let it dominate his mind.
The consumption of essence spiked abruptly.
The water beneath Willian's feet vibrated—then transformed into liquid bindings that wrapped around his legs in an instant.
Caught off guard, Willian didn't know how to react to the sudden restraint. The water yanked hard, throwing him off balance.
He was pulled down.
Just as his back was about to hit the ground, he twisted midair, spinning and landing on his knees on the mat.
He turned toward Eylan, who was surprised by Willian's skill.
Willian muttered under his breath.
"…did you really think a simple trick like that would catch me?"
He leaped.
Eylan tried to retreat again, but Willian wouldn't make the same mistake of letting him create distance.
The veins on Willian's head bulged as his eyes turned a vivid cyan.
The blue aura on his right arm extended, forming something like an illusory sword—lengthening his reach.
'My Aspect enhances my attacks. Makes them more precise… longer.'
But it wasn't enough.
It only reached its true peak when there was something to protect.
Willian clenched his fists.
"I'm protecting something," he murmured, as if the air itself could challenge him. "I'm defending my Clan's honor."
He repeated the words silently.
Until they finally rang true.
Eylan barely managed to react to the shift in his opponent's stance.
He dodged the first strike on instinct, rolling across the floor.
But then Willian's arm came down again. Too exhausted to escape, Eylan raised his arms in front of his face.
However, before it could land, Willian's attack stopped.
His hand hovered just centimeters from Eylan's head.
Lowering his arms, Eylan saw Willian looking down at him. The aura slowly faded until it vanished completely.
Willian took a deep breath, catching his breath.
Then he smiled proudly and said,
"I won today."
He turned around and walked away as if nothing had happened.
Eylan blinked, confused.
How had he lost?
Then he realized.
His back was already touching the ground.
'I… lost?'
Objectively speaking, the fact that he had lasted that long was something to be proud of. After all, he had been fighting a legacy.
Still, the bitter taste of defeat stung no matter the reason.
"Great fight. That's it! Class is over!" Rock's voice announced the end of the match.
The Sleepers who had watched the fight from the beginning seemed euphoric. They admired the two young men who had fought moments earlier. The reverence was obvious, whispers spreading everywhere.
As he left the ring, Eylan noticed a familiar figure among the youths. In the corner, almost hidden in the shadows, stood Ravon, wearing a calm smile.
'Since when was he here?'
Eylan found his friend's sudden appearance strange. Still, he assumed it was because he had been fighting.
He even thought about calling out to Ravon. But when he jumped down from the ring, he noticed Willian looking in his direction—and then toward where Eylan had been staring.
When Eylan looked again, Ravon was gone.
'That's weird…' Maybe his friend had just left since the fight was over.
In the end, everyone who had participated in the introductory combat class headed to the showers—including Eylan, who was drenched in sweat after the fight.
Inside the men's locker room, Willian was surrounded by a group of newly converted fans. They congratulated him on his victory, full of admiration and excitement.
Eylan preferred to ignore it, but there might be something useful in their conversation.
Sneaking closer, he expanded his senses and listened carefully.
"Congrats, Willian!"
"A True Name? What's that even worth? The two who had one both lost to you!"
"Your Aspect is amazing! What rank is it?"
Willian soaked up the praise, answering a few questions.
"Well… my Aspect is Saint-ranked, if you're curious." His tone tried to sound casual, but his lifted chin told another story.
"A Saint-rank Aspect?! No wonder those two lost!"
"Talent just like your father's!"
Willian went silent for a moment.
Then he returned to normal and continued bragging.
The wave of comments went on for a while. Eylan grew bored and planned to take his shower. However, something caught his attention—a question asked by one of the boys.
"Willian… is it true you humiliated Bhetel?"
Willian looked at him strangely, then answered honestly.
"No? As soon as I stepped into the ring and was waiting for the instructor to start the match, that weirdo started looking at me funny, like I'd said something."
The rest of the Sleepers ignored the question and kept chatting. Eylan, however, grew even more confused. Willian really hadn't mentioned Bhetel's family.
As he was about to leave and think it over, he bumped into someone.
That person also seemed to be hiding and listening in.
"Bhetel…? Why are you here?"
The dark-haired boy stood there, staring back at him.
"That's none of your business."
Then he started to leave.
Still, Eylan asked, as if making a casual comment,
"Is it true about Willian saying that to you?"
Bhetel seemed in a hurry as he walked away, answering calmly,
"I don't know… maybe it was just something in my head."
Eylan fell into thought.
'In his head… an illusion…'
Something was wrong.
And that fight… might have only been the beginning.