The crowd stared at Kael with a mix of awe and terror. Despite their combined assault, not a single one of them had managed to even scratch him.
"Enough!" Kael threw his head back and laughed, his voice booming with unshakable confidence. "It's over!"
Most of his opponents had been completely incapacitated by a single thunderous spell, leaving only the three peak-Level 7 mages barely standing—though they were clearly on their last legs.
With a swift twist of his staff, Kael unleashed a surge of mana so vast it seemed to shake the heavens. His domain expanded, cutting off all escape.
Dax and the other two exchanged stunned glances. Though they had prepared their own spells—now the last ones standing—Kael's domain was simply too overwhelming.
The outcome was already decided.
Yet, Dax and his companions refused to accept defeat without a fight. Even if they couldn't win, they wouldn't go down without at least leaving a mark on Kael.
The three mages unleashed their most powerful spells in unison:
"Earth Sunder!"
"Frost's Wrath!"
"Blazing Radiance!"
Three peak-Level 7 spells erupted, shaking the ground and saturating the air with dense, liquid-like elemental energy. The sheer pressure was suffocating—but Kael didn't even flinch.
BOOM!
The spells collided with Kael's lightning barrier—only to dissipate harmlessly against its crackling surface. Not a single wound marred Kael's figure.
Despair flooded Dax's eyes. How could the gap between them be this vast, even at the same level?
From the stands, Zorath the Silent sighed. "This kid… he really leaves no room for others, does he?" He shook his head wryly. "These challengers are the Sacred Council's finest recruits, yet they couldn't even land a scratch. And Kael's only grown stronger—more monstrous than ever."
Kael's domain tightened around the trio. With a flick of his wrist, violet lightning erupted like artillery fire.
Enough was enough.
After being provoked again and again, even Kael's patience had its limits.
The lightning coalesced into a storm of apocalyptic fury, sweeping across the battlefield like divine retribution. The violent surge crashed into Dax and his companions, hurling them backward like ragdolls. They slammed into the ground with bone-jarring force, blood spraying from their lips, their bodies wracked with grievous injuries.
The dozen challengers who had dared face Kael now bore the full weight of realization—his strength was monstrous. Their eyes, once brimming with defiance, now flickered with dread. Heads bowed in silent submission, their spirits thoroughly crushed.
What a joke.
A dozen against one—yet they had been utterly dismantled without so much as grazing him.
Kael's power transcended anything they could comprehend. This was no mere Level 7 combatant, nor did he fight like someone their age. He stood leagues above them, a figure they could only look up to in awe.
"This is... terrifying." A chill ran down Dax's spine as an involuntary fear took root. How could someone younger than them—no, even a few years their junior—possess strength rivaling seasoned veterans? Even most Arcane Masters would struggle to match this!
The same horrifying thought echoed through the minds of the spectators. The absurdity of it all was undeniable—this "Kael" was nothing short of a monster.
The host's hands trembled as he stared. Could this boy truly be under twenty, as the records claimed? He might as well be some centuries-old powerhouse in disguise.
"I declare... Kael the victor!"
The announcement hung in the air, met with deafening silence. The recruits had been broken, their defiance extinguished—whether by respect or sheer terror.
Kael had achieved exactly what he set out to do: establish absolute dominance.
His gaze, sharp as a honed blade, swept across the crowd. None dared meet his eyes, their postures shrinking under his scrutiny.
This was more than just a battle.
It was a statement—a brutal reminder that Kael would tolerate no further nuisance. These recruits might be insignificant ants to him, but their constant provocations had worn thin.
Today, he had crushed them all in one fell swoop, etching this lesson into their bones.
Even as Kael stepped off the platform, the arena remained eerily silent. Every eye followed his retreating figure, not a whisper disturbing the heavy stillness.
Ethan observed the recruits' mix of reverence and fear with a sigh. "Kael just keeps getting more terrifying."
As Kael stepped off the platform, Ethan and Amelia approached him.
"Well done. That was satisfying to watch," Amelia said with a smile.
"Kael, I've given up any hope of competing with you. But how did Amelia break through overnight too? Meanwhile, poor me—still stuck at mid-Level 7." Ethan lamented, though there was a playful edge to his tone. He'd been on the verge of a breakthrough himself, just slightly lagging behind Amelia.
If his fans at the Flarecrest Academy saw him like this, they'd riot.
Kael shrugged helplessly. He hadn't come across any suitable combat techniques for Ethan in the Eternal Tower—otherwise, he wouldn't have held back.
"I'll be visiting the Eternal Tower again in the next few days. If I find any martial techniques suited for you, I'll keep an eye out," Kael offered with a grin.
"Haha, thanks a ton!" Ethan pumped his fist excitedly, his face alight with gratitude. At this critical juncture in his training, he'd take any help he could get—preferably immediately.
Kael smiled. Now that they were friends, he had no reason to withhold support. Besides, with unrestricted access to the Eternal Tower, doing Ethan this favor was no trouble at all.
On the arena grounds, the illusory projections of the Six Arbiters had long since faded. Most of the Sacred Council's senior members had dispersed, leaving an eerie silence in their wake. Many were still processing the sheer dominance of Kael's performance.
Zorath the Silent approached, clapping a hand on Kael's shoulder. Recognizing the unspoken cue, Ethan and Amelia tactfully stepped aside to give them privacy.
"Kael, now that this challenge is settled—when do you plan to head to your territory? The three-thousand-mile stretch of the Lephis Plains is waiting for you," Zorath remarked with a chuckle.
"I'd like to leave soon, but I'll probably stay a few more days. I need to visit the Eternal Tower first," Kael replied. He'd already mapped out his plans.
Once he left the Sacred Council for his fief, returning anytime soon would be unlikely. He couldn't pass up one last "harvest" from the Tower's troves.
His roadmap was clear: after departing, he'd locate the keystone to the Ancient Ruins and re-enter its depths. Only then would he proceed to his territory and advance to an Arcane Master of Level 8.
But first—he had to plumb the Eternal Tower's archives for the essence of magic.
Every book in that tower was a priceless treasure, their value beyond measure. Kael wasn't about to let such an opportunity slip away.
"Understood!" Zorath the Silent gave a hearty nod. "Reach out if you need anything, kid. Make the most of it!"
Kael acknowledged with a nod of his own, watching as Zorath's figure receded into the distance. Then, alongside Amelia and Ethan, he departed the arena.
Upon returning to their lodgings, Ethan tactfully excused himself, leaving Kael and Amelia alone.
"Amelia," Kael began, his brow furrowed, "that map we obtained from Leif marks the Black Valley in eastern Kaya Kingdom as the 'keystone' to the Ancient Ruins. It seems our next journey will take us there."
The distance between Kaya Kingdom and his fief, the Lephis Plains, was considerable. This would require thorough preparation, Kael mused silently.
Amelia nodded, and the two delved into strategizing their approach to the ruins. This expedition had to yield maximum gains—no half measures.
Kael had no intention of sharing this intelligence with anyone beyond Amelia. The Ancient Ruins were a treasure trove too valuable to split.
In the quiet of their room, Kael wrapped his arms around Amelia as they whispered plans into the night.
Only after finalizing their course did Kael rise, his mind already turning toward his next destination—the Eternal Tower.