Rey didn’t waste ti celebrating.
Survival and revenge ant nothing if he remained weak. Power demanded consolidation, enhancent, and imdiate optimization of every resource he’d claid.
He pulled the Transport into an abandoned warehouse district on the city’s edge—far enough from the Desgarron estate to avoid imdiate scrutiny, isolated enough that no one would witness what ca next.
The automatons stood guard at the entrance while Rey worked.
Inside the Transport’s vast interior, surrounded by centuries of accumulated Noble wealth, Rey began his transformation.
First, the Elixirs.
He’d claid dozens during the vault raid, each one a concentrated distillation of magical enhancent. Most were designed for specific purposes—healing, stamina recovery, temporary power boosts.
But several caught his attention for different reasons.
"Ether Pool Expansion Elixir—Grade 4. Increases total Ether capacity by several degrees."
Rey uncorked it without hesitation and drank.
The liquid burned going down, then the burning intensified.
His Ether pathways—the mystical channels through which energy flowed—began to expand forcibly. It felt like his insides were being stretched on a rack, every cell screaming in protest.
Rey gritted his teeth and endured.
Finally, the pain began to subside, leaving behind a profound sense of space within his core. His Ether Pool, previously modest, now felt vast.
It had stars as bountiful as an entire solar system... with his core seemingly larger than the sun.
He was incredibly powerful now.
He tested it, circulating energy through his body. The difference was imdiately apparent—where before he might have managed three or four Mid Sequence Techniques before exhaustion, now he could manage many more.
Next elixir.
"Physical Enhancent Elixir—Grade 5. Permanently increases muscle density, bone strength, and cellular regeneration."
Rey didn’t have a lot of ti, so he drank it all.
His body began to change imdiately—a crawling sensation under his skin as muscles compacted and strengthened, as bones reinforced themselves with mystical density. The process was supposed to happen gradually, but Rey forced it, using his body’s energy to stimulate the Elixir’s mystical qualities in order to accelerate the integration.
Pain beca his constant companion.
He welcod it.
Another elixir followed. Then another. Each one targets different aspects of his physical or mystical capabilities. By the ti he’d consud six different concoctions, his body had been transford from rely competent to genuinely formidable.
’Five tis,’ Rey calculated, testing his enhanced Ether Pool. ’My reserves are now five tis what they were. And my body...’
He clenched his fist experintally.
The strength was qualitatively different—not just more powerful, but more refined. His enhanced muscles could generate force that would shatter tal, yet maintain the delicacy needed for precision work.
But physical enhancent was only the beginning.
Rey turned his attention to the Artifacts he’d claid. Hundreds of enchanted items lay packed in containers, each one offering different capabilities.
He couldn’t use them all, but he could equip the most tactically valuable.
A ring that enhanced perception—he slipped it on his left index finger and imdiately felt his senses sharpen. Every sound beca clearer, every scent more distinct.
A necklace that provided passive magical shielding—the mont he clasped it around his neck, he felt a subtle barrier form around his body, ready to deflect hostile attacks.
Bracers that enhanced physical speed—these went on both forearms, and suddenly his movents felt lighter, more responsive.
A belt containing spatial storage compartnts—invaluable for carrying weapons and tools without visible encumbrance.
He loaded the belt’s compartnts with Scrolls—one for each Art type he’d acquired. Spirit Art, Soul Art, Curse Art, Null Art, and several other Art scrolls. Each one was a single-use Technique that would allow him to surprise enemies with capabilities they’d never expect him to possess.
’A living person with Chaos Art affinity who can also use every other Art type through Scrolls,’ Rey thought with cold satisfaction. ’They won’t know what hit them.’
But there was still more to claim.
The Slave Binding Scrolls—he’d taken all of them, dozens of sophisticated Curse Art contracts ready for activation. These went into the spatial belt, easily accessible if he needed to quickly enslave soone.
Grade 4 and Grade 5 Artifacts that provided offensive capabilities—a dagger that could cut through hardened barriers, a gauntlet that generated force blasts, and a cloak that could briefly render him invisible.
He equipped what he could carry without becoming encumbered, storing the rest in the Transport for later use.
Finally, Rey consud several more specialized elixirs designed for imdiate combat readiness—heightened reflexes, enhanced general resistance, and temporary ntal clarity that would prevent emotional compromise during battle.
By the ti he finished, nearly three hours had passed.
Rey stood in the Transport’s interior, examining his transford state. His body thrumd with power—Ether reserves vast enough to fuel extended combat, physical capabilities enhanced to superhuman levels, Artifacts layering defensive and offensive options.
’Strong,’ he acknowledged. ’Stronger than I’ve ever been. But is it enough?’
Enough for what ca next.
The Coliseum.
Duke Kahn.
’Can I really win?’
Rey’s expression hardened as he thought about the man who’d ordered his execution. The deal with Augustus, the rigged fight, and the expectation that Rey would die for entertainnt and profit.
’He wanted dead because I was a threat to his arrangents. I’m sure he racked up quite the profit from the Coliseum because of ...’
But so what?
Augustus was dead now.
And Duke Kahn would soon join him.
But Rey needed information first.
He directed the automatons to patrol while he ventured out on foot, moving through the warehouse district with his enhanced speed and perception. The chaos from the Desgarron estate had drawn most law enforcent to that area, leaving these outer districts relatively unguarded.
Perfect for hunting.
Rey found his target within the hour—a Coliseum worker, identifiable by the distinctive uniform, stumbling ho from a late shift. The man was alone, half-drunk, completely unaware of the predator stalking him.
Rey struck from behind, one hand clamping over the man’s mouth while the other pressed a blade to his throat.
"Make a sound, and you die," Rey whispered. "Nod if you understand."
The worker nodded frantically, terror evident in his wide eyes.
Rey dragged him into an alley, away from potential witnesses. Once they were sufficiently isolated, he removed his hand from the man’s mouth but kept the blade pressed firmly.
"Duke Kahn," Rey said quietly. "Tell about his schedule, his security, his habits."
"I-I don’t know anything about the Duke!" the worker stamred. "I just clean the—"
Rey increased the pressure on the blade, drawing a thin line of blood.
"Try again. And this ti, don’t lie."
The worker’s resistance crumbled imdiately. Information spilled out in a terrified rush.
Duke Kahn owned the Coliseum but rarely visited personally—he had managers and subordinates who handled daily operations. His actual manor was in a completely different city in the Noble District, heavily fortified and constantly guarded.
Attempting to assault it directly would be suicide.
But...
"He has a private observation chamber," the worker revealed, voice shaking. "In the Coliseum’s upper levels. When sothing important happens—big fights, special events, ergencies—he cos personally to observe from there. It’s tradition, and also he wants to protect his investnt if anything goes wrong."
Rey’s eyes narrowed. "Ergencies like what?"
"Like... like if the Coliseum were threatened. Or if sothing happened in the city that might affect his business. He’d co to check on his assets, make sure everything was secure."
Rey smiled coldly.
The Desgarron estate was burning. Undead were attacking throughout the district. Chaos was spreading across the city. Duke Kahn would absolutely interpret that as an ergency requiring his personal attention.
He would co to the Coliseum to ensure his investnt remained safe.
And when he did, Rey would be waiting.
"This observation chamber," Rey said. "How is it accessed?"
"Private entrance, east side of the building. Requires a special key and password. I don’t know the password, I swear! Only the Duke and his most trusted guards know it!"
Rey considered this. Breaking through security would be possible with his Artifacts and Scrolls, but it would create noise and draw attention.
It would be better to be already inside when the Duke arrived.
"Show the entrance," Rey commanded. "And if you try to warn anyone, I’ll kill you so slowly you’ll beg for death."
The worker nodded frantically, too terrified to do anything but comply.
*************
The Coliseum lood against the night sky, its massive structure dark and silent.
Most events happened during night hours—right now, the building should have been bustling with imnse energy. However, the situation with the Desgarron Manor made the place rather desolate.
Every useful official had been sent to reinforce the Guards who were holding back the Undead as well as to investigate the burning Manor.
That was the priority, especially since this city was within Desgarron Territory.
Thus, the Coliseum was nearly empty except for minimal security and maintenance staff.
The worker led Rey to the east side, pointing out a reinforced door with mystical locks.
"There," he whispered. "That’s the Duke’s private entrance. But you can’t get through without—"
Rey activated one of his Null Art Scrolls. The magical locks dissolved under the Null Art’s absolute negation, and the door swung open.
The worker’s eyes went wide.
Rey knocked him unconscious with a precise strike and left him in the shadows.
No point killing him yet—the man might still prove useful.
Inside, a narrow corridor led upward through the Coliseum’s internal structure. Rey moved silently, his enhanced perception alert for guards or detection systems.
He encountered three security checkpoints, each one protected by mystical wards and physical barriers. Each one fell to his combination of Null Art Scrolls and physical Artifacts. The guards stationed at the third checkpoint died quickly, their throats cut before they could raise an alarm.
Finally, Rey reached the Duke’s private observation chamber.
It was exactly as described—a luxurious room overlooking the main arena floor, furnished with expensive chairs and viewing equipnt.
Currently empty, waiting for its owner.
Rey settled into the shadows, making himself invisible with one of his Artifacts. Then he waited.
Hours passed.
Outside, the chaos from the Desgarron estate continued to spread. Rey could hear distant explosions, screams, and the sounds of Category Guards struggling to contain the Undead assault.
Then, finally, he felt it—movent below.
Voices. The sound of the private entrance being unlocked.
Duke Kahn had arrived.
Rey’s heart remained steady, his breathing controlled. All the preparation, all the enhancent, all the planning—it ca down to this mont.
This was the biggest risk he had taken yet... but he could feel excitent.
Footsteps on the stairs.
Multiple people—the Duke wouldn’t co alone. Security, probably.
Perhaps advisors.
’Or, could it be...’ Sothing flashed within Rey’s eyes.
The door to the observation chamber opened.
Duke Kahn entered, a tall and slender man in expensive robes, his face flushed with anxiety and anger. Two guards flanked him, heavily ard and alert. Behind them, a nervous-looking administrator clutched docunts.
"—complete disaster!" the Duke was saying. "The Desgarron estate is burning, Undead are rampaging in the streets, and nobody can tell what’s happening! If this chaos damages my Coliseum, if it affects revenue—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Because there, sitting calmly in the Duke’s personal chair, visible now that Rey had deactivated his invisibility Artifact, was a young man with ancient eyes and a cold smile.
"Hello, Duke Kahn," Rey said quietly. "We need to talk about the deal you made with Augustus Desgarron."
The guards reacted instantly, weapons drawn, moving to place themselves between Rey and their employer. But Rey simply sat there, radiating power and confidence, his enhanced body ready for violence, his Artifacts prid, his Scrolls accessible.
"You ordered my execution," Rey continued, his voice carrying absolute certainty. "A deal with a Noble boy, trading my life for profit. Did you think there would be no consequences?"
Duke Kahn’s face had gone pale, recognition slowly dawning.
"You... you’re Cursed Boy, aren’t you? You’re supposed to be dead. The Coliseum fight, you surely died—"
"I got better," Rey interrupted. "And now I’m here to collect what you owe ."
The chamber fell silent except for the distant sounds of chaos from outside.
"Your life."
[A/N: We have finally reached the climax. I certainly hope you all enjoy the next sets of events that are about to unfold.]
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