Alistair's POV
Alistair opened his eyes, and the Virtual Reality Battlefield stretched before him—a vast plain of grass, endless under the artificial sky. The simulated wind brushed past him, ruffling his jet-black hair, but his black eyes remained still, emotionless as he took in his surroundings.
A blue-tinted system window flickered into existence in front of him.
[Final Round – Countdown: 60 Seconds]
[Mana and Stamina Restored]
His gaze shifted forward, and immediately, he took note of his team.
They were already there. He was the last to arrive.
After assessing briefly. His team wasn't bad. In fact, by normal standards, they were quite good—each one a competent fighter, survivors of the previous rounds. Every one of them was at least E-rank or higher, a testament to their skill and tenacity.
But then, Alistair turned his gaze across the battlefield—toward the opposite team.
There, standing together like an unshakable fortress, were the strongest students in their generation.
Leon Valerius. Evelyn Aurelius. Elaine Vaelthorne. Morganna Draven. Rael Thunderfang. Lyria Starfang. Kieran Azurios. Cassandra Everwyn. Dain Drakonis. Serena Vale. Sylara Ilthariel.
Main cast.
A powerhouse of talent, blessings, raw strength, and dangerous abilities .
If his team was strong, then the other team was overwhelming.
Alistair let out a slow, quiet exhale. This was expected. The academy wouldn't make the final match one-sided. If his team lacked the raw power to stand against them, then the Academy must have compensated in some way.
His sharp instincts scanned his own ranks once more.
That's when he noticed it.
A presence. A strong one.
Standing at a distance, calmly observing the battlefield, was Ryu.
Alistair's eyes flickered with recognition. He had eliminated him just seconds ago.
Ryu—THE FUTURE HEAVENLY DEMON
He was the only other one on their team who radiated true danger. Not just strength, but , A predator's instinct wrapped in complete composure.
Alistair wasn't the only one who noticed.
Then-
A sharp pulse of killing intent flooded the battlefield.
Not directed at him.
No, it was aimed directly at Ryu.
Lunara Nightshade.
Her bloodlust seeped across the field like a creeping fog. It wasn't chaotic or wild—it was refined, sharp, and utterly murderous.
Ryu felt it too.
And instead of being intimidated, he did something that made the air grow even colder.
He smiled.
A twisted, lazy grin stretched across his face as he turned his head toward Alistair, his purple eyes glinting with amusement.
"You're wondering why, aren't you?"
Alistair didn't respond, but Ryu continued anyway, his voice dripping with amusement.
"She really hates me," he chuckled, his fingers twitching as if itching for another fight. "And I get it, really. I might have... gotten a little carried away when we fought in the first round."
Lunara's pureblood vampire regeneration was notorious. A terrifying ability that let her survive what would have killed others instantly.
Ryu tilted his head, his grin widening.
"So, I cut her apart."
Alistair's eyes narrowed.
Ryu's tone was casual, but the way his eyes gleamed with sick enjoyment told the real story.
"Again," he continued. "And again. And again."
He laughed. A quiet, breathy chuckle, like a man recalling a fond memory.
"Honestly, I lost count of how many times I dismembered her before she was finally eliminated."
His purple eyes gleamed.
"But you know what the best part was?"
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"She couldn't die."
Alistair stared at him, expression unreadable.
Ryu let out a long sigh, stretching his arms above his head. "Ahh, but I suppose I can do that again, huh?" His eyes flickered toward Lunara, who still hadn't moved.
But the killing intent hadn't lessened.
If anything, it had only grown denser.
Even from this distance, Alistair could see the way her crimson eyes darkened.
The way her fingers twitched slightly at her sides.
Alistair understood.
Vampires weren't known for their patience when it came to settling grudges.
Lunara wasn't angry that Ryu had cut her apart.
She was angry that she hadn't been able to do the same to him.
Alistair closed his eyes for a brief second. This was trouble.
Ryu sighed dramatically, turning back toward Alistair.
"But enough about that." His smile turned sharp. "I was gonna ask—do you wanna finish this match quickly, or do you wanna drag it out and enjoy it?"
Alistair was about to answer when Ryu turned away from him completely.
Instead, he faced their own team.
The other students.
The ones who had fought hard to get here.
The ones who had survived until the final round.
Ryu's smile widened.
His words were casual.
But his eyes were filled with mockery.
"You guys do know you're not gonna be of any help, right?"
Silence.
> Final Round – Countdown: 12... 11... 10... Seconds
---
The battlefield stood still.
Two teams faced each other across an invisible barrier, the transparent wall shimmering with faint arcane runes as it counted down the final seconds before the match began.
Veylen Nightshade turned toward his sister, crimson eyes narrowed in curiosity. "Lunara," he said, his voice smooth but laced with intrigue. "Did you fight that unknown guy?"
Lunara's lips curled into a sharp smile, the glint in her eyes betraying the bloodthirst lurking beneath her composed demeanor. "That one? Ryu?" she mused, as if savoring the name. "Fight is an interesting way to put it. He cut me apart. Again. And again. And again."
A ripple of unease moved through their team, but Lunara wasn't finished. "But it's fine," she continued, her voice dark with anticipation. "This time, he won't get the chance. He's mine. The rest of you stay out of it. I'll take my time with him—cut him apart limb by limb. And then, when he's barely clinging to life, I'll drink his blood slowly, savoring every drop."
Her words were spoken with eerie finality. A declaration of vengeance, of hunger.
Evelyn Aurelius, standing with arms crossed, frowned slightly. "You shouldn't be so reckless, Lunara. He defeated Elaine with ease. And now you're telling me he also managed to defeat you? That means he's dangerous. We can't underestimate him. We should fight as a team."
As Evelyn spoke, Sylara Ilthariel's elven ears twitched, her golden eyes narrowing. "Look," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, finger pointed at opponent team .
All eyes turned toward the opposing team. The countdown timer above the barrier flickered.
[Final round> 11… 10… 9…]
Across the battlefield, Ryu stood beside Alistair, speaking to him in low tones before slowly turning away. The air around him shifted.And then he moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
Before anyone could react, Ryu struck down the first of his own teammates. A blade of pure mana extended from his fingertips, severing a throat with merciless efficiency. Blood splattered across the grass as the body crumpled. The others barely had time to scream before he was upon them.
"Why—?" one of them choked, but his words were cut short as his chest was punctured in a flash of violet light.
Rael Thunderfang's eyes widened. "Is he… killing his own teammates?"
Dain Drakonis' expression twisted into a scowl. "What the hell is he doing?!"
But the slaughter didn't stop.
One after another, they fell.
A beastkin warrior tried to shift into his transformed state, but Ryu's palm struck his skull, shattering it instantly. A mage attempted to cast a spell, only for his hands to be severed before he could even utter the incantation. A dwarven shield-bearer raised his guard, but Ryu simply bypassed his defenses, driving a blade straight through the dwarf's throat.
Blood stained the battlefield. The invisible barrier separating the teams shimmered, unable to block the sight of the carnage unfolding before them.
> 4… 3…
One final student, an elf with trembling hands, took a step back. His mouth opened to beg—perhaps for mercy, perhaps for understanding. But Ryu did not grant either.
With a flick of his wrist, a violet arc of energy severed the elf's head clean from his shoulders.
The last body hit the ground.
Ryu exhaled, as if releasing tension from his shoulders. Then, in the eerie silence that followed the massacre, it appeared.
A cape. But not just any cape.
A blood-red inferno ignited around him, forming into a flowing mantle of writhing, hellish energy. The ground beneath him blackened, scorched by its mere presence.
[Heavenly Demon's Wrath]
A cape wreathed in blood-red flames, a manifestation of sheer malice and destruction.
The timer hit zero.
And the barrier fell.
Ryu, standing amidst the remains of his fallen teammates, slowly turned toward his true opponents. His violet eyes gleamed with unholy amusement, his smile widening ever so slightly.
"Now then…" His voice was light, almost playful. "Shall we begin?"