Half an hour had passed since Adrian set out, and now the towering, translucent wall of light marking the border between the Earth Territory and the central non-elental zone lood before him. The barrier pulsed faintly, a mixture of gold and white energy, its presence radiating an invisible pressure that discouraged anyone from approaching carelessly.
Adrian slowed as he approached, brushing the dust off his bracelet. The enchanted device glimred faintly, a reminder of his status as a predator. Without hesitation, he lifted his arm and pressed the bracelet against the barrier.
A ripple of energy spread outward, and the golden light shifted, parting just enough to create a narrow path. Adrian stepped through, the barrier sealing shut behind him as if it had never opened.
The air on the other side was cooler, a strange contrast to the heat of the Earth Territory. Ahead, nestled among the overgrown vegetation and ruins of the zone, stood a massive colosseum. Its structure was ancient, reminiscent of the grand arenas of old. The outer walls were mostly intact, their sheer size casting long shadows across the ground. Only the colossal gates at the base remained open, inviting yet imposing.
Adrian took a mont to absorb the familiar sight before making his way inside.
The interior was equally impressive—rows upon rows of stone seats spiraling upward, circling a vast arena floor. He glanced around, his boots echoing softly against the polished stone. It was quiet, save for the faint hum of residual magic that lingered in the air.
Then, movent caught his eye.
Across the arena floor, three familiar figures stood in a loose circle, their voices low but distinct. Aurelia, Ren, and Lyra.
The trio noticed him at nearly the sa mont he spotted them. Aurelia straightened, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. Ren, always quick to speak, waved him over.
"Adrian!" Ren called as they approached each other. "What are you doing here? Aren't you a predator? Shouldn't you be waiting until the examinees gather before entering the center zone?"
Adrian t his gaze calmly. "I ca for sothing important," he replied evenly. "Have any examinees returned yet?"
Aurelia shook her head, her eyes thoughtful. "No, not yet. Maybe because it's still a bit early. Though if I had to guess, they'll start appearing in the next half hour or so."
Adrian nodded, his expression unreadable. "I see..."
Ren exchanged a glance with Lyra, both of them clearly puzzled. Aurelia, too, gave him a curious look, her gaze trying to piece together his motivations.
Adrian noticed their confusion and paused, rembering sothing he had forgotten. Unlike him, they weren't predators; their role in the exam was different. That ant they didn't have the sa information he did, the info about the scythe boy.
He sighed lightly, his tone shifting to one of quiet seriousness. "There's sothing you don't know," he began, his eyes scanning the three of them. "There's an intruder in the exam—a black-haired boy with a scythe. He's highly skilled, possibly at the peak of Lunar Tier, and an enemy. And... he's not from this world."
The trio's expressions shifted, their initial confusion giving way to alarm.
"An intruder?" Lyra repeated, her voice laced with concern.
"Another world?" Aurelia added confusion etched across her features.
Adrian nodded. "Yes, an intruder. And it ans he ca to our world from a dinsional crack - similar to how I returned. I was certain sothing would happen soon. That's why I rushed here instead of waiting like the other predators. Though, they should be probably on their way as well."
Aurelia folded her arms, her brows furrowing as she processed his words. "If he's that dangerous, why hasn't the academy intervened?"
"Right, the instructors should be watching the exam, right?" Ren agreed.
Adrian's lips pressed into a thin line.
"They might not know yet, or they could be treating the boy as a strong examinee showing his powers in the exam. Either way, it's on us to be ready. So, before he shows up here, let's make a plan."
"..."
The three got silent and exchanged knowing glances.
"Brother, you already have a plan, don't you?" Aurelia asked with a smile.
"...In fact, yes," Adrian replied after a pause. "Then, let tell you what I thought of..."
______ ___ _
The barrier shimred once more as the black-haired boy approached, his figure concealed in the shadows of the overgrown ruins. He had been watching from a distance, carefully observing how the examinees passed through the energy field that divided the Water Territory from the central non-elental zone. After a few attempts, he had learned how to navigate it—simply touch the barrier with the bracelet and a way would open after taking away 10 tokens of all elental tokens one collected..
He had tested it in the first ti and learned it - he was short on tokens. But this ti, he returned with more than enough. The barrier rippled as his hand t it, and a path opened just wide enough for him to slip through. He barely noticed the shockwave of magic that pulsed through the air as the barrier sealed behind him.
The boy stood on the other side, his eyes scanning the massive yet haunting landscape. He was in the heart of the central zone now, but the calm stillness of the arena contrasted sharply with the chaos he had faced getting here. He paused for a mont, adjusting the scythe in his hands.
He couldn't help but notice how eerily quiet the outside of the colosseum was. The boy walked forward, his boots lightly scraping the stone beneath him. He had already been chased too many tis, his pursuers never quite understanding the full scope of his intentions.
More than seven tis had he been stalked by people in monster disguises, none of whom seed to realize how dangerous he truly was.
The most persistent of them had been the purple-winged human who had caught him three tis already. She never gave up, always tracking him down after their first encounter. Her artifact wings were as annoying as they were beautiful, but her persistence was beginning to wear on him.
She was strong, without his scythe, he would have been defeated by her.
Sigh…
The boy sighed heavily, the weight of his thoughts dragging him down for a mont. This chase had gone on long enough.
"Just a little longer," he muttered under his breath. "Once they all, the ones touched by my scythe arrive... then I can take the last step of my mission."
'I'll open the dinsional hole.' Explore more adventures at empire
"Then... I can return ho."
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