A big yellow ball.
The crowd went silent.
The crowd stared.
At the Sli.
At Alex.
Back to the Sli.
One official whispered.
"Did he just shit that sli out?"
Another covered his mouth.
"I... I think he did."
A woman’s voice.
Horrified.
"The dance was the summoning ritual?!"
"And the fart was the finale?!"
Soone started laughing.
Couldn’t stop.
Bent over.
Wheezing.
Then another.
Then the whole crowd exploded.
"AHAHAHA!"
"WHAT DID WE JUST WITNESS?!"
"I’M GONNA DIE!"
"MY STOMACH HURTS!"
One man clutched his colleague.
"Rose! Thank you for this charity event!"
"Best entertainnt ever!"
"I’d pay double just to see that again!"
Another official wiped tears.
"The breakdancing! The headspins! The FART!"
"I can’t breathe!"
"Soone record this!"
"I already am!"
Rose stood frozen.
Face bright red.
Hands covering it completely.
Only her eyes visible.
But she wasn’t listening.
Wasn’t paying attention to the laughter.
Her mind elsewhere.
His core strength...
The way he spun.
That control.
Those movents.
Her throat moved.
Swallowed.
If his core is that strong...
Then THAT aspect...
Must be...
Her face got redder.
Stop it.
Stop thinking about it.
But she couldn’t.
The image stuck.
His body.
That strength.
That stamina.
Oh god.
Why does that turn on??
She bit her lip.
Hard.
Caelum stood across the arena.
Completely still.
Staring.
His mouth opens.
Brain is trying to process.
What.
What did he just see?
This is beyond the world!
This is the ultimate unknown!
This...Alex, is the actual lord of mystery!
His eye twitched.
From excitent.
Realization struck him.
That dance wasn’t so creepy moves.
That was...
A secret technique!
An ancient ritual!
Lost to ti!
Caelum’s eyes widened.
Of course!
The intricate movents!
The impossible spins!
The final... release of energy!
It all makes sense!
This boy...
He’s a true master!
Hidden in plain sight!
Disguised as a fool!
Genius!
He looked at Mizuchi.
The serpent looked back.
Equally serious.
Both turned to stare at the yellow Sli.
Bouncing.
"Gulu!"
Happy.
Innocent.
But Caelum saw deeper.
That Sli...
Summoned through forbidden arts.
Blessed by ancient powers.
That’s not just any E-rank beast.
It’s a sacred guardian!
Concealing its true form!
His blood boiled.
Excitent.
Fire.
This is it!
A worthy opponent!
Soone who understands the hidden ways!
The secret paths!
He clenched his fists.
Trembling.
"I see now..."
His voice low.
Reverent.
"You truly are..."
"The End of Worlds."
Eyes burning.
"I must defeat you!"
"To prove myself worthy!"
"To stand at the peak of mystery!"
Mizuchi sensed his excitent.
Roared.
Lightning crackled harder.
Water swirled faster.
Caelum pointed forward.
"CO! Show your true power!"
"Show the secrets of the ancient dance!"
"I accept your challenge, Lord of Chaos!"
The crowd went quiet.
"Is he... serious?"
"Does he think that was real?"
"Oh my god, he does."
Master Feng covered his face.
"This boy’s delusions..."
Alex just smiled wider.
Patted Pie.
"Alright buddy, let’s give him a show."
Pie bounced.
"Gulu!"
Master Feng raised his hand.
"Let the match... BEGIN!"
The hand dropped.
Caelum’s eyes flashed.
"MIZUCHI!"
The serpent vanished.
Air rippled.
WHOOSH.
Behind Pie.
Tail whipped down.
WHAM!
Impact thundered.
The ground trembled.
Dust exploded outward.
Pie’s body compressed.
Flattened.
Then shot forward.
Bouncing.
Rolling.
Skidding across stone.
Stopped ten ters away.
Wobbled.
Expanded back to normal.
"Gulu!"
Unhard.
Just shaken.
Alex’s connection pulsed.
Vines.
Green tendrils erupted.
Tore through the ground.
Whipping up.
Circling Pie.
A barrier.
CRACK!
Mizuchi’s tail struck.
Hit the vines.
They bent hard.
Bark splintering.
Smoke where lightning touched.
The sll of burning.
But held.
CRACK!
Another hit.
Vines swayed.
One frayed.
Barely holding.
CRACK!
Lightning scorched the surface.
Leaves blackened.
Fell as ash.
Water surged.
Mizuchi’s body moved.
Creating currents.
The ground beneath Pie darkened.
Wet.
Slippery.
Pulling at him.
Alex’s thoughts sharp.
Dash.
Pie compressed again.
Launched.
BOOM.
He rocketed backward.
Ground blurring beneath him.
Stopped far across the arena.
Alex stood still.
Watching.
Mizuchi circled.
Water dripped from its scales.
Pooling.
Lightning crackled.
ZZT ZZT ZZT.
Blue sparks dancing.
Every few seconds.
Caelum stood calm.
Hands behind his back.
"You can’t run forever."
The crowd watched.
"That impact!"
"The whole arena shook!"
"But the Sli just bounced back."
"What is that defense?"
"E-rank shouldn’t survive hits like that."
"And those vines blocked an SS-rank attack."
One official shook his head.
"That boy’s training is insane."
"But Caelum’s just warming up."
"That wasn’t even his real attack pattern."
The woman from earlier nodded.
"Mizuchi has three signature moves. We haven’t seen any of them."
"He’s testing the Sli."
"Gauging its limits."
Soone else agreed.
"When he gets serious..."
Trailed off.
Looked at Pie.
"That Sli won’t last."
"Defense is impressive, sure."
"But there’s a limit."
Master Feng spoke.
Voice calm.
"Caelum fights in stages. First he observes. Then he adapts. Then he crushes."
Bit his lollipop.
"We’re still in stage one."
The gray-haired man from earlier sighed.
"Once Mizuchi uses Torrent Spiral or Thunder Cascade..."
Shook his head.
"It’s over."
Rose licked her lip.
Alex, co, show what you got.
In the arena—
Caelum tilted his head.
Studying Pie.
"Interesting defense."
"Let’s see how it holds up."
His expression shifted.
Eyes sharper.
"Mizuchi. Thirty percent!"
The serpent’s body glowed.
Brighter.
Water around it intensified.
Lightning crackled harder.
The air pressure changed.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Alex felt it.
His connection with Pie pulsed.
Warning.
Here it cos.
Alex’s lips curved.
Smiled.
Those few hits.
Enough data.
Current attack power?
Not enough.
Pie’s defense too high.
The vines?
The dodging?
Just for show.
Misdirection.
Making Caelum think he had the advantage.
Now.
Ti to show what a Sli can really do.
Mizuchi moved.
Faster.
WHAM!
Tail strike.
Pie flew left.
Vines shot up.
Tried to intercept.
Too slow.
CRACK!
Another hit.
Before Pie landed.
He bounced right.
Tumbling.
Dash activated.
Launched away.
But Mizuchi was there.
Already positioned.
WHAM!
Hit from above.
Pie slamd down.
Ground shook.
Bounced up.
Can’t stabilize.
CRACK!
Side strike.
"Gulu!"
Spinning through air.
Like a pinball.
Vines couldn’t keep up.
Dash on cooldown.
Too frequent.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Three rapid hits.
Pie bounced higher each ti.
Ten ters up.
Fifteen.
Twenty.
Mizuchi coiled below.
Positioning.
Body glowing brighter.
Water spiraling around it.
Lightning gathering.
Concentrating.
Building.
Caelum’s hand raised.
"Finish it."
Mizuchi’s tail pulled back.
Charging.
Water compressed.
Lightning focused.
All power into one point.
The glow intensified.
Blinding.
The crowd leaned forward.
"Here it cos!"
"Mizuchi’s power strike!"
"That Sli’s done!"
One official whistled.
"To be fair, he lasted longer than expected."
"Way longer."
Another nodded.
"The gap is massive."
"E-rank versus SS-rank."
"Seven tier difference."
Soone else chid in.
"And the grade gap. Tenth grade versus eighth grade."
"That’s two full grades."
"The spiritual energy difference alone is crushing."
The woman spoke.
"Don’t forget resources. Caelum’s from one of the biggest Family. Top-tier training. Elite potions. Master instructors."
Pause.
"Alex is just a high school student. Limited funding. Basic facilities."
"The advantage is overwhelming."
Another official agreed.
"Beast quality. Master quality. Resources. Training. All of it favors Caelum."
"There’s no contest."
"But the boy held out this long. That’s impressive."
"Most first-year university students would’ve lost already."
"Against Caelum? In thirty seconds."
"Alex lasted two minutes."
Master Feng finally spoke.
"X-rank talent showing through."
Bit his lollipop.
"Even crippled by his beast, he fights above his weight."
"Truly a genius."
"If he had a proper beast... he’d be terrifying."
"But with a Sli?"
Shook her head.
"This is his limit."
Rose’s hands gripped tighter.
This is it.
Alex.
Please.
In the arena—
Pie fell.
Spinning.
Helpless.
Twenty ters down.
Mizuchi’s tail glowed white.
Ready.
Waiting.
The perfect mont.
Almost.
Almost.
NOW.
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