ã€ŠThe Overpowered Scholarã€‹


 Chapter 1: Enrolling in the Apocalypse?

    "Thank you, have a great day."

    Sero Kassel droned even as the customer walked out of the door. He sighed, zoning out behind the cash register of the now empty convenience store.

    "Just one more hour before I can go home." Sero mumbled to himself as he glanced at the clock. Another 60 dull minutes until 11 P.M. Then he could clock out of this damn job and relax at home.

    Suddenly, the door to the convenience store swung open with a jingle, revealing a young woman. She had light brown hair that fell over her shoulders and striking emerald eyes. She was dressed in a dirty, olive hoodie and blue jeans that had seen better days. Sero immediately perked up at the sight of her.

    "Hey, can I help you with something?" he asked, trying to sound more friendly than he actually felt. The woman gave him a small smile before approaching the counter.

    "I''m actually here to see Sero Kassel," she said, her voice soft and melodic. "Is that you?"

    Sero raised an eyebrow. She was very attractive up close. "Yeah, that''s me. What''s up?"

    The woman took a deep breath and then stepped closer to the counter. "My name is Aphiel, and I am a goddess. You have been chosen to ascend, Sero Kassel. You have been given a second chance at life."

    Sero blinked and stared blankly at Aphiel for a moment.

    "Pardon?"

    Aphiel gazed directly into his red eyes.

    "You are dead, Sero Kassel. You died the moment the apocalypse began."

    Sero felt a chill run down his spine at her words. He looked around wildly, half-expecting to see a portal tear open and release a horde of monsters. But the world around him seemed to be going about its business as usual.

    "What the fuck are you on about?" he asked, confused.

    Aphiel sighed.

    "Do you not remember what happened earlier? What¡¯s the earliest memory you have right now?"

    Sero frowned and racked through his memories.

    "There was a customer here¡­ I just rang him up¡­ no, her¡­ wait¡­"

    A sharp pain assaulted Sero¡¯s mind as he began to recall his memories. He winced as he tried to voice his thoughts.

    "No, hold on¡­ I remember screaming. Weird, colored portals opening up¡­ a big ass monster barged into the store."

    Sero grimaced and closed his eyes.

    "I was scared¡­ but also excited. It was the first time something different happened in my life. I remember feeling like this could cure my boredom."

    Sero opened his eyes and found himself staring into Aphiel¡¯s emerald eyes.

    "The monster¡­ charged at me. And then¡­"

    Sero blinked again.

    "I found myself here."

    Aphiel nodded.

    "I¡­ died? But there¡¯s no way, right? Something like that can¡¯t happen in real life. It must¡¯ve been a dream or something. Is this a prank?"

    The woman shook her head.

    "No, you¡¯re dead, Sero Kassel. But you were not supposed to be."

    Aphiel bowed her head and clasped her hands together. She muttered something Sero couldn¡¯t quite catch and suddenly the store began to fade away, replaced by a vast white void.

    "Oh, shit?!" Sero exclaimed as he tried to get his bearings. He felt his body become weightless as he floated in the void.

    Aphiel raised her head and gazed at Sero with a solemn look.

    "Sero Kassel. You have died prematurely due to my negligence and not watching over you. By way of an apology, I shall quicken your growth and grant you your class as well as return you to your world."

    Sero could only stare back blankly at her.

    "Class? What do you mean by that? Wait, you¡¯re going to send me back?" If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Aphiel gave him a warm smile. "Yes," she nodded, holding her hands out. "I will return you to your world, but you need to awaken your class first."

    "I¡¯m assuming a class means something like a specialization of sorts? Like in a game?" Sero asked, quickly catching on as his nerves calmed down.

    The woman nodded. "You¡¯re very smart. I was right to choose you as my champion. A class is akin to that."

    "I want to be a Master Swordsman or something along the lines of that." Sero replied without hesitation.

    Aphiel¡¯s smile wavered.

    "Ah, s-so the thing is¡­" She glanced away.

    "What?"

    "Erm, so your class is specific to your nature and personality."

    Sero nodded.

    "Yeah, I have all the qualities of a Master Swordsman." He insisted with sincerity.

    "O-oh, well¡­ yes, I was looking for a Master Swordsman, but it turns out he wasn¡¯t my champion so that¡¯s why you ended up here¡­"

    Sero frowned.

    "Wait a minute, what¨C"

    "But thankfully, I found you before your soul moved on to the afterlife, so I can bring you back to your world. Unfortunately, it seems as though¡­ your personality¡­ isn¡¯t fit for a Master Swordsman." Aphiel bit her lip.

    Sero grew quiet.

    "So, you¡¯re saying that my personality doesn¡¯t match a Master Swordsman?"

    The goddess nodded timidly.

    "Then what other classes are available for me?"

    "W-well, everyone¡¯s class is already determined¨C"

    "Ok, then what¡¯s my class?"

    Aphiel tittered nervously.

    "Um¡­. you are a Scholar." She finally whispered.

    Sero¡¯s face became stoic.

    "Like¡­ reading books?"

    "N-not exactly. Your abilities would be Perfect Copy, Perfect Recall, and Perfect Analysis." Aphiel shifted uncomfortably, sensing his displeasure.

    "Memorization. That¡¯s my fucking ability." Sero gazed at her with an unreadable expression.

    "Well, that¡¯s the core concept, yes, but¨C"

    "I dropped out of college. I hate endless studying. You¡¯re telling me that my class is basically a student?" Sero floated closer to the woman.

    Aphiel nervously hovered back. "When you put it that way, I can see how it sounds like-"

    "Besides that, what did you mean earlier that I died because of your negligence? Or that it sounded like you found the wrong guy? Am I here because of you?" Sero towered over the goddess.

    Aphiel coughed in her hand. "Yes, well, you see, when the apocalypse hit your world, my kind decided to give humanity a chance by choosing champions to sponsor and nurture," she quietly began. "It¡¯s my first time doing something like this so I guess I got too excited and didn¡¯t check the spelling so¡­"

    "¡­ I died because you watched over the wrong person."

    Aphiel nodded ever so slightly.

    A flurry of emotions rushed through Sero. First disbelief, then anger, and finally, acceptance.

    "Ok, whatever. I¡¯m still annoyed, but you did say it¡¯s your first time after all, plus you¡¯re sending me back. I can¡¯t be too mad at you." Sero sighed, feeling his emotions settle as he came to terms with his situation.

    Aphiel immediately looked up at him. Her emerald eyes sparkled with relief and gratitude.

    "Thank you for your forgiveness, champion! I promise, I will guide you to the best of my abilities."

    Sero, slightly embarrassed, made a face and looked away. "Yeah, yeah, I got it. Now send me back. I gotta figure out what I can do with this Scholar shit."

    The goddess smiled sheepishly and fidgeted with her hoodie.

    "Actually¡­ Can you give me a second? I have to find out how to send you back."

    Sero¡¯s body stiffened. He slowly turned his head back to Aphiel.

    "You serious?" he whispered calmly.

    Aphiel nodded apologetically. "I-I''m sorry, I really didn''t expect this to happen. I''ll try to find a way to send you back as soon as possible."

    "How soon?" Sero¡¯s voice was threatening.

    "I-in a flash!" Aphiel yelped and suddenly vanished into thin air.

    For a moment, Sero wondered if the goddess had abandoned him.

    As soon as he thought that, Aphiel blinked back into existence with a weak smile.

    "Ok! I have found a way for you to return! Just hold on to my hand and close your eyes."

    Sero looked at her with disbelief, but decided to trust her. He reached out his hand and tentatively held onto Aphiel''s small, delicate fingers. She smiled encouragingly at him and closed her eyes, as if concentrating on something. He felt a strange sensation, like he was being tugged or pulled, and then everything went black.

    When Sero opened his eyes in the next moment, he found himself standing in front of the convenience store that he worked at.

    "Holy shit, I¡¯m back." he muttered to himself, stepping into the store.

    "Hello, welcome to Mart-Mart." A voice droned out to him.

    "Hey¨C"

    Sero paused with a frown.

    "Who the fuck are you?"

    An unfamiliar middle-aged man with gray hair stood behind the counter. Sero was absolutely certain that no one new had been hired yet.

    "Uh, what?" The man replied with a bored expression.

    "Are you new here?" Sero asked as he stepped up to the counter.

    "No? I¡¯ve been working here for a couple of months now."

    Sero¡¯s frown deepened. "How come I¡¯ve never seen you around then? I¡¯ve been working here longer than you."

    The man stared back at him with a blank look.

    "I¡¯m sorry sir, but I¡¯ve never seen you around here either. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re on about, but I started soon after the monsters invaded about a year ago."

    There was a moment of silence.

    "A year¡­ ago?"

    The man nodded with a dull expression.

    "...You''ve been living under a rock? There was an apocalypse about a year ago."

    Sero suddenly gripped the counter as he felt overwhelmed and nauseous.

    "I¡¯ve been gone¡­ for a goddamn year?"

 Chapter 2: A Rushed Orientation

    Sero walked back to his apartment with his mind swarming with thoughts. He was thankful the convenience store was roughly 5 minutes or so from his apartment.

    "Did that goddess¡­ send me to the future?" he mused to himself.

    As Sero drew closer to his apartment complex, he began to notice that things were off.

    First, the roads were paved anew, and there were more people walking around than Sero remembered. Second, there were a lot more shops and buildings that were unfamiliar to him.

    Finally, as Sero rounded the corner, he discovered that instead of his dilapidated apartment complex, a tall and dignified gated building stood in its place.

    For a moment, he stood outside the steel gates and stared at the building.

    "Where the fuck is my apartment?"

    An image of Aphiel flashed through his mind, and Sero became aware of a rising irritation bubbling within him.

    "Are you lost? Or are you here to register as an Ascendant?" A soft voice called out behind him.

    Sero turned around to see a young, fair-skinned woman standing there. She had long, flowing silver hair and bright blue eyes. Her attire was simple, yet elegant: a casual business blazer over a white blouse and a pencil skirt. She smiled at him, her expression warm and welcoming.

    Sero immediately dropped his eyes to half-mast and gave her a suave grin.

    "Uh, yeah, I¡¯m here to register or whatever. Maybe a beautiful woman like you could guide me?" Sero dropped his voice an octave lower.

    The woman blinked, seemingly caught off guard by his sudden change in tone. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she hesitated before responding.

    "I-I''m sorry, I''m not used to that kind of behavior. My name is Amaya Cromwell. I''m one of the Ascendant Liaison here. If you''re truly interested in registering, I can help you out. But please, try to be more respectful."

    Sero grinned. "Sure thing, beautiful."

    Amaya sighed and composed herself. "Very well then. Follow me, and I''ll take you to the registration office." She turned on her heel and began walking briskly through the gate and up the stairs. Sero hurried after her, trying to keep up with her long-legged stride.

    As they walked through the hallways, Amaya pointed out various amenities and services available to registered Ascendants. There was a library, a gym, a garden, and even a spa. The decor was elegant and tasteful, with paintings and sculptures adorning the walls. The carpets were plush and thick, and the lighting was soft and inviting. It was a far cry from the dingy, run-down apartment complex Sero had left behind.

    "Damn, this is fucking nice." Sero murmured to himself.

    Finally, the pair reached a waiting room beyond the amenities where several other people lounged about. Sero figured they were waiting to take some sort of assessment test before they could register.

    The room was simple, with four metal doors ahead. Chairs were organized in rows, facing a small, wooden podium. Off to the side was a table with refreshments and magazines.

    A tall, regal man in his fifties entered the room from one of the four doors. His posture was straight and his eyes radiated authority. He introduced himself as Lord Damian, the administrator of the Ascendant Registry. He explained that each individual would be brought in one at a time in any of the four rooms to appraise their skills and determine their class, which would qualify them for registration.

    "Good luck." Amaya nodded to Sero and quickly left before he could respond.

    "Oh well." Sero mumbled and turned his attention back to the orientation.

    "Now that you are aware of what is to be expected, please line up in front of any of the four doors." Lord Damian finished.

    Sero did as he was told, taking a spot near the end of the line. As he waited, he surveyed the other Ascendants. Some of them looked quite formidable, with muscles bulging beneath their clothes and eyes that seemed to glow with power. Others were more elegant and refined, their features delicate and their posture regal. There were even a few who looked...well, rather odd, with strange markings or abnormalities that set them apart from the rest.

    Finally, it was Sero''s turn. He took a deep breath and walked into an assessment room.

    The room was small and dimly lit, with a single artifact in the center that resembled an orb. It seemed to glow with an unearthly light. The walls were lined with shelves overflowing with books and scrolls, and strange devices hung from the ceiling. The air was thick with the scent of incense.

    Two figures stood beside the orb: a beautiful woman with long, flowing black hair and bright amber eyes, and a burly man with a thick beard and piercing brown eyes. They nodded in acknowledgement as Sero stepped up to them.

    "Hello sir. We will be recording the results of your assessment." The woman spoke first.

    "If you would, please place your hand on the orb. It will then analyze your stats and recognize your class and rank." The man next to her added.

    Sero nodded and did as he was told, placing his hand on the orb.

    "Sero Kassel. Scholar class. F-rank. Abilities: Perfect Copy, Perfect Recall, Perfect Analysis. Passives: Rationality, Influence." The orb immediately boomed.

    "¡­."

    "W-well, there are a lot of jobs that require specialized academic classes." The woman finally spoke after the awkward silence.

    "Yes, even Tacticians and Commanders maintain civilian jobs on the side." The man chimed in with a reassuring smile.

    Sero feigned a smile and tried to hold himself back from crying.

    "Oh, really? That sounds good!" he managed to keep his voice steady.

    "We will process your information and grant you your Ascendant license in a few days. For now, please head over to the office of Ascendant Liaisons. You can get more information or guidance there." The woman motioned to the door.

    Sero thanked the pair and swiftly turned on his heel, making sure to hide his disappointment as he walked out of the room.

    He soon reached the Ascendant Liaison office near the vicinity of the previous amenities, where he caught sight of Amaya behind a desk among her coworkers. His mood immediately improved upon seeing her.

    "Oh! Amaya, right?" Sero grinned as he approached her.

    "Yes, how can I¨C" Amaya¡¯s smile faltered briefly as soon as she saw Sero.

    "Ahem, how can I help you?" She regained her composure and tried again.

    "I just did my assessment and was told to come here for guidance or whatever."

    "Oh! Ok, that¡¯s great! What class are you?"

    Sero hesitated.

    "I¡¯m a Scholar¡­" He said quietly and glanced away.

    "Sorry?"

    "¡­. I¡¯m a Scholar. An F-rank." Sero felt himself crying on the inside.

    "Oh, that¡¯s not¡­ I mean, we¡¯ve never heard of a Scholar before! What are¡­ your abilities?" Amaya sounded overly optimistic.

    Sero forced a laugh. "Well, my abilities are Perfect Copy, Perfect Recall, and Perfect Analysis. So, you know, copying and remembering stuff, and then analyzing it. I guess that''s... pretty useful for a librarian?"

    Amaya nodded slowly and Sero could tell she pitied him.

    "Well, there are guilds that may need a good librarian and they pay pretty well! Oh, but even government jobs pay pretty well for skills like yours!" She tried to sound hopeful.

    Sero smiled weakly. His confidence was draining away quickly.

    "A-anyway, your Sponsor can also help guide you down a path fitting of your¡­ skills." Amaya finished awkwardly.

    "Sponsor?" Sero raised an eyebrow. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    "Yes, your Sponsor is the god or goddess that chose you to be what they refer to as their ¡®champion¡¯." Amaya quickly explained, seemingly relieved to change the mood of the conversation.

    "How would I talk to my Sponsor?"

    "Well, they¡¯re always listening! In fact, I would bet that the god or goddess is watching over you right now! In some cases though, the more champions they have, the harder and longer it would take to talk to them directly since they¡¯d have their attention divided. Take Ares or Horus for example. They¡¯ve selected quite a handful of B-rank to A-rank Ascendants."

    Sero nodded slowly as he began to understand.

    "How many Ascendants does the goddess Aphiel have?"

    "¡­Who?"

    There was a moment of silence between them.

    "My goddess is Aphiel." Sero finally spoke.

    "Oh."

    Amaya hesitated for a moment.

    "Well, there are some gods and goddesses that aren¡¯t registered in our database yet because either they haven¡¯t selected a champion or their only Ascendant hasn¡¯t applied to any associations, so there¡¯s a good chance you may be the only one. Which means she should be available at all times if that¡¯s the case."

    "Oh?" Sero felt his irritation rising. "So that means I can contact Aphiel whenever I want?"

    Amaya nodded. "Assuming she doesn¡¯t have any other champions, yes."

    "And how would I contact her?" Sero flashed a false grin.

    "W-well, you could just concentrate and establish a mental communication line or speak out loud." Amaya replied nervously upon seeing Sero¡¯s expression.

    "Well in that case-" Sero¡¯s words were cut off by a chirping alarm that rang through the building.

    "Attention, staff and Ascendants. A C-rank monster outbreak has been detected near the city. All eligible personnel please respond." A masculine voice boomed through the intercoms.

    "Oh! I¡¯m sorry, but it seems that I need to go! We should catch up later so I can properly explain things to you!" Amaya quickly got up and started to dash to the exit. Sero couldn¡¯t help but feel as if she was relieved that this convenient timing of the situation interrupted their conversation.

    Not knowing what else to do, Sero followed behind her.

    Within minutes, the pair arrived at the scene where a couple of other Ascendants were already busy fighting the monsters spilling out of a dark gray, purple-ringed portal.

    The monsters were huge and grotesque, with giant claws and antennas. Dyed in varying shades of violet, they reminded Sero of overgrown lobsters the size of horses.

    "What¡¯s the status, Brennan?" Amaya asked as she approached a lone man who wielded a giant broadsword and wore red armor.

    "Liaison Amaya. We are currently keeping the lesser monsters at bay for now, with no sight of the boss monster yet. Who¡¯s this?" The man called Brennan nodded to Sero behind her.

    Amaya whirled around in surprise.

    "What are you doing here?! This place is too dangerous for you!"

    Sero shrugged. "I didn¡¯t know where else to go."

    "Stay at the Ascendant Association building! Or shelters! Or even your own home! Why did you come here of all places?"

    He gave another shrug. "I¡¯ve basically started over today."

    "What do you even mean-"

    A loud boom followed by a chittering screech cut their conversation short.

    The trio turned their attention back to the portal, where they saw a gigantic lobster much darker than the rest crawl out. The other Ascendants began to draw back as some of them fired colorful and explosive bolts of magic at the elephant-sized monster.

    "Liaison Amaya. I believe we need to focus on the situation first." Brennan raised his sword.

    "Fine. You, get to somewhere safe." Amaya glared at Sero. "Brennan, tell the others to fall back; you and I will take the boss alone." She slammed her palms together and a light blue mist began to swirl around her hands.

    Sero suddenly felt his body buzz and his focus sharpening as he watched Amaya conjure a gleaming silver sword between her hands.

    "Champion. Use your abilities." A familiar voice suddenly spoke in his head.

    "Aphiel?" Sero thought.

    "Yes, my champion. I am here to guide you. Use your Scholar abilities to copy¨C"

    "Why the fuck did you send me a whole year into the future?" Sero thought angrily.

    "W-wait, it wasn¡¯t my fault! But also, you need to¨C"

    "You sent me a year into the future and now I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on! My apartment is gone!"

    "Sero Kassel, please listen to me for a moment! We can talk about that later!" Aphiel¡¯s voice was desperate in his head.

    Sero scowled but relented.

    "Fine, what do I need to do?"

    "As I tried to explain the first time we met, your Scholar abilities don¡¯t apply to just memorizing text. You can copy and recall anything, including the skills and abilities of other champions." Aphiel sounded relieved.

    Sero went silent for a moment.

    "Wait, that¡¯s pretty fucking broken."

    "Ah, but there¡¯s limits and restrictions too!" Aphiel quickly added. "But for now, try to copy that champion in front of you."

    Sero obliged and watched intensely as Amaya finished forming her sword. The buzzing in his body from before came back, and Sero felt himself suddenly understand the nature behind Amaya¡¯s display.

    "Oh." He realized that Amaya used mana to form her sword.

    "That is the true power of your class. You can copy and understand anything that you see. Which is a surprise, even though when I learned you had a knack for academics but a terrible work ethic¨C"

    "How do I use what I¡¯ve copied?"

    "O-oh. Well it¡¯s pretty simple, no? It¡¯s like when you remember something during an exam and you write it down so like¨C"

    "Never mind, I got it." Sero grinned wickedly as he understood what to do.

    As Amaya and the man charged towards the lobster boss, Sero watched them carefully from a safe distance.

    His body buzzed with power as his mind quickly grasped the intricacies of Amaya¡¯s fighting style.

    He watched her every move, her sword dancing through the air with an almost ethereal grace. Sero realized that she was using mana to supplement her movements as well, giving her a huge boost to her speed and strength.

    Finally, Amaya charged up blue mana in her sword, firing the condensed mass of light at the lobster.

    Despite the might of the attack, the lobster boss seemed to suffer a mild burn as it roared in anger.

    "Shit, the hide is too tough!" Sero heard Brennan yell out to Amaya.

    "Aphiel."

    "Yes?"

    "Perfect Analysis. Does that mean I can understand anything I see?"

    "Yes¡­? What are you planning, champion?"

    Sero didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he directed his attention to the lobster boss and increased his focus.

    His body buzzed with power again and Sero found himself able to understand the monster¡¯s biological structure.

    A menacing grin slowly spread across his face.

    "This is way too fucking strong." he whispered to himself.

    As Amaya and the man struggled to keep the lobster boss at bay, Sero clasped his palms together and concentrated. A green haze began to form and swirl around his hands as Sero felt himself become lighter and energized.

    "So this is mana? This is pretty cool." he murmured and formed a silver blade similar to the way Amaya formed hers earlier.

    "Champion? Please be careful! Your abilities may be strong, but your body cannot withstand their full capabilities yet." Aphiel sounded worried.

    "Ah, I¡¯ll be fine," Sero thought as a wicked expression bloomed on his face. "There¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t try this out after learning what I can really do."

    Sero finished crafting his sword in noticeably less time than Amaya and began to circulate the mana inside his body. He could feel himself growing stronger and lighter.

    "Champion, don¡¯t overexert yourself!"

    Sero ignored her and charged ahead.

    "What the¨C" Amaya watched incredulously as the young man who had shamelessly hit on her before now danced around the boss monster gracefully.

    Sero deftly dodged and weaved around the giant lobster¡¯s attacks as he sliced at its joints with precision. The blade felt balanced but strong in his hands and Sero¡¯s blood pumped with excitement as he executed the same moves he watched Amaya perform earlier.

    Despite the overflowing power he felt, Sero could tell his body was beginning to burn out.

    "Is this all I can do for now?" Sero thought to himself, irritated.

    A feeling of refusal rose within him, and he increased the speed of his attacks, furiously severing the muscles between the cracks of the hard exoskeleton.

    In mere moments, Sero had completely severed all of the boss¡¯s tendons, rendering it unable to move.

    Sero finally ceased his attack and created some distance between him and the monster, joining Amaya and Brennan as he retreated.

    "Fuck," Sero panted heavily, feeling exhaustion setting in as he leaned on his knees. "I didn¡¯t expect that to be so tiring."

    Both Amaya and Brennan stared at him in shock.

    "I thought you were a Scholar," Amaya whispered over the agonized chittering of the boss. "But you just used skills that Spellblades have. What exactly is a Scholar?"

    Sero gave an evil smirk. "Oh, I¡¯m definitely a Scholar. And I¡¯m fucking strong."

    He suddenly fell forward and hit the ground face first.

    "Anyways," Sero¡¯s words were muffled by the asphalt. "You guys are able to finish the boss off, right?"

    Amaya took a moment to process everything.

    "L-Liaison Amaya! We must kill the boss so that the portal can close!" Brennan shook them both out of their stupor.

    "Right¡­ right! Ok, let¡¯s finish this!" Amaya turned her attention back to the incapacitated lobster boss, still in bewilderment.

    Sero closed his eyes as he heard the pair rushing off to end things.

    "I¡¯m so¡­ fucking cool." he mumbled as he finally passed out.

 Chapter 3: First Day

    As Sero slept, he found himself drifting through a dreamlike state, surrounded by swirling colors and ethereal sounds. He felt as if he were floating, weightless, and free from the constraints of his body. He could sense the presence of someone else nearby, a warmth that enveloped him like a comforting blanket.

    Sero surged forward, guided by the warm presence until finally he was able to make out who it was.

    "My champion." Aphiel smiled and bowed her head in greeting.

    Sero stared at her for a moment.

    "So, you gonna explain what the fuck is going on?" he asked in annoyance as he fought the urge to rip into her.

    Aphiel¡¯s smile faltered and she quickly raised her hands up in defense.

    "Y-yeah, I¡¯ll explain! Just don¡¯t get mad at me yet, please!" Aphiel¡¯s calm fa?ade immediately broke under his scathing gaze.

    Sero crossed his arms and tapped his finger impatiently.

    Aphiel cleared her throat.

    "S-so I assume that the biggest question is why you were sent a year into the future."

    Sero nodded but otherwise said nothing.

    "Well, that¡¯s because¡­ the goddess who told me how to send you back wasn¡¯t clear¡­ so I kind of messed it up and that¡¯s how you ended up there." Aphiel averted her gaze.

    Sero''s eyes widened. "You... messed up?! So, that''s why I''m here?!" His anger began to boil over. "You just sent me into the future like it was nothing?! You could''ve killed me or sent me to some random time where I''d be stuck or something worse! How could you just do that so casually?!"

    Aphiel flinched and stepped back, raising her hands in defense.

    "I didn¡¯t mean to! It was an accident! It was my first time, I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m so sorry!" Tears began to form in the goddess¡¯s eyes.

    Some of Sero¡¯s anger began to subside as he saw Aphiel on the verge of crying.

    "Ok, ok, it¡¯s fine," he sighed, feeling a twinge of guilt. "Is there any way for you to send me back to the first day of the apocalypse?"

    Aphiel sniffed and shook her head timidly.

    "I¡¯m sorry, champion, but once you returned to Earth, I cannot send you anywhere else."

    Sero forced himself to hold in his anger.

    "Ok, fine. I¡¯ll let this go since you helped me understand my abilities. Speaking of, I have a question about that. Why am I a Scholar? What made you choose me? What¡¯s the purpose of all this?"

    Aphiel made a face.

    "That¡¯s a lot of questions¡­ Well, I can only answer the first two," The goddess composed herself. "To answer why you are a Scholar, you remember how I explained that your nature and personality contributes to your class?"

    Sero nodded.

    "Well, in your past life, you have shown incredible talent for learning and understanding things very quickly. Although, you also had a tendency to be¡­ lazy." Aphiel nervously looked at him.

    Sero kept his composure despite his irritation.

    "S-so the Scholar is a class that can immediately memorize, understand, and recall just about anything without effort, true to your¡­ personality." The goddess continued carefully, watching Sero¡¯s face.

    "That sounds about right," he admitted, even though he wasn¡¯t very happy about it. "I hate prolonged studying and would rather learn things I can actually use."

    Aphiel nodded. "That¡¯s why the Scholar is the perfect class for you! I noticed that you changed something called a major several times while attending an academic institute."

    Sero grimaced. "That¡¯s because they all became tedious at some point. I just wanted to graduate without having to cram useless side information."

    The goddess smiled but Sero got the feeling she didn¡¯t really understand what he was talking about.

    "Whatever. So, what made you choose me?" Sero changed the topic.

    Aphiel hesitated for a moment.

    "Because I saw potential in you!"

    "Bullshit." Sero immediately countered.

    Aphiel began to visibly sweat.

    "I-I mean it! You have the potential to be a great champion! You have the intellect to understand the world and the adaptability to survive in it! You have the strength to fight against the odds and the resilience to overcome any challenge that comes your way!" she insisted.

    Sero leaned in closer to the goddess.

    "What¡¯s the real reason?"

    Aphiel shrank back.

    "Ah, well, it¡¯s my first time at this thing, so I had to choose one champion to gain experience, so I chose you because one of the goddesses told me you¡¯d die pretty soon anyway so then I¡¯d be able to gain some experience and try again with a better champion but now I realize that you¡¯re actually pretty promising so I¡¯m resolved to stick with you until the end¡­" she rambled quietly.

    Sero raised an eyebrow. That was... something. It sounded like Aphiel didn''t really have a good reason to choose him, but at least it wasn''t something terrible like him being destined to die or something.

    "All right. Whatever," He sighed. "Was there anything else you needed from me, or did you just want to answer my questions?"

    Aphiel blinked in surprise.

    "Oh! I just wanted to tell you I¡¯m sincerely here to help you."

    Sero grunted.

    "Ok, thanks. I¡¯m ready to wake up now."

    "Wait, that¡¯s it¨C?!"

    With a start, Sero woke up and found himself laying in what seemed like a hospital bed. He winced as he felt a slight pain across his face and remembered how he face-planted in the street earlier.

    The room was surprisingly well-lit and had a clean, sterile smell. There was a window on the far wall, letting in the soft morning light, and a couple of comfortable-looking chairs next to the bed. A large painting hung on the opposite wall, depicting a peaceful forest scene. The bed itself was fitted with soft blankets and pillows, making it seem almost inviting. A small device next to him displayed the time and date. June 8th, 2051. A year after he died.

    "Where the fuck am I?" Sero muttered to himself.

    "You¡¯re in one of the infirmary rooms of the Ascendants Association." Amaya said as she stepped into Sero¡¯s space.

    "Oh? Are you supposed to be my nurse?" Sero asked slyly with a sultry look.

    "Stop that. I¡¯m an Ascendant Liaison. I¡¯m here to check up on you after your performance against the C-rank boss." Amaya cut him off.

    Sero grinned. "Sure."

    "Anyways, I¡¯m curious as to how you managed to pull that off. It was almost as if you were copying me." Amaya continued, her annoyance replaced by curiosity.

    "I was."

    There was silence.

    "You what?" Amaya''s voice was flat.

    "I copied you."

    Amaya scoffed. "You can''t copy me. You''re not a Spellblade like me."

    Sero¡¯s eyes glinted mischievously.

    "I know. My Scholar class lets me copy the skills of other classes."

    Amaya''s expression slowly turned to shock. "You can do that?" She whispered.

    "Yep."

    "That¡¯s¡­ kind of unfair."

    Sero shrugged. "I didn''t make the rules."

    Amaya looked unconvinced. "You could''ve at least told me. We could''ve worked together."

    "Well, technically I did. I didn¡¯t even know I could do all that other stuff until after."

    The Ascendant Liaison stared at him for a long moment. Sero could tell she was having a hard time believing him.

    "Ok, then. Have you decided on what guild you¡¯d want to join?"

    Sero shrugged.

    "I don¡¯t even know what guilds are out there."

    Amaya sighed. "Well, there are several guilds registered within the Ascendants Association. You can ask around, and I''m sure someone would be happy to tell you about them. Or, if you''d like, you can come with me and I can introduce you to the guildmaster of the Blue Wave Brigade."

    Sero fought the urge to snicker at the name.

    "¡­That the guild you belong to?"

    "Yes. It''s the guild I''ve been assigned to since I became an Ascendant. But you don''t have to join it. You''re free to choose whichever guild you''d like."

    For a moment, Sero thought to himself.

    "Nah, I don¡¯t wanna join any guilds."

    Amaya looked surprised. "Are you sure? It''s not that bad. Being part of a guild can be really rewarding, both in terms of friendship and advancement."

    "I¡¯ll pass, thanks."

    The Ascendant Liaison frowned at him.

    "What do you mean? If you don¡¯t join a guild, it¡¯ll be hard for you to do anything without their support."

    Sero grinned.

    "Don¡¯t worry about that, beautiful. I know exactly what to do."

    Amaya raised an eyebrow at his comment. "Oh? And what''s that?"

    A malicious gleam slowly crept into his eyes.. "Let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve got some learning to do."

    Amaya stared at him for a moment, still unsure if she should believe him or not. But then, she shrugged. "Alright, if that''s what you want. Well, I should be going now. If you change your mind, you know where to find me."Stolen story; please report.

    Sero grunted in response.

    After Amaya left, some medical staff came shortly to check up on Sero. They deemed him stable for discharge and he soon found himself standing in front of Amaya at the Ascendant Liaison office again.

    "Uh¡­ Did you change your mind that quickly?" Amaya didn¡¯t seem too pleased to see him right after their earlier conversation.

    "Nah," Sero shook his head. "I actually don¡¯t have a clue on what to do now. To put it simply, I kinda found myself homeless and jobless."

    Amaya raised an eyebrow. "And you think the Blue Wave Brigade can help you with that?"

    Sero licked his lips. "No, I think that you, specifically, can help me with that."

    Amaya blinked. "Me? How?"

    "Are you not an Ascendant Liaison? Help me figure out how to earn income or get some housing."

    Amaya frowned.

    "Well, like I said, joining a guild gives you a lot of benefits, like housing or jobs you can do to earn money."

    Sero matched her frown.

    "Well, from the look on your face, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re not totally convinced about joining a guild, so the only other thing I can think of is mercenary work."

    "Oh?" Sero¡¯s eyes lit up eagerly.

    "Yeah, mercenary work is pretty much what it sounds like. The government, guilds, just basically whoever that needs extra Ascendant manpower can hire you for their tasks."

    "Ok, I wanna do that."

    Amaya held up two fingers. "But there¡¯s two conditions."

    She took a moment to think.

    "The first is that you need to be at least an A-rank to get any real contracts. People who are desperate might hire you if they really need your help, but otherwise don¡¯t expect any big commissions." Amaya started.

    "The second is that mercenary work must adhere to the law. That means that jobs you accept as a freelance Ascendant must abide by the law. So, no assassinations, robberies, or anything related to that."

    Sero nodded slowly. "So I just gotta promote myself as a strong guy and not commit crimes."

    Amaya gave a half-shrug. "Basically. Oh, and one more thing. Since you''re new to the city, you should probably get yourself an Ascendant ID card, but you should receive it soon since you just did your assessment. That way, it''ll be easier for people to hire you." She handed him a slip of paper with her contact information. "Come see me when you get it and I''ll help you start mercenary work. There¡¯s various mercenary organizations that manage and provide assistance to freelance Ascendants."

    Sero stood there for a moment.

    "I don¡¯t have a phone."

    Amaya raised an eyebrow. "Really? You can''t even afford a cheap prepaid phone?"

    "The only thing I have are these clothes that I¡¯m wearing."

    Amaya stared at him.

    "Where did you even come from?"

    Sero shrugged.

    "Long story short, I lost everything I own. I have nothing to my name."

    Amaya sighed. "Alright, fine. I''ll get you a phone. You can pay me back once you''re on your feet. In the meantime, meet me here every day before noon to practice your swordplay. There''s a small park nearby where you can train. Once you get your phone and ID, I''ll set you up with some mercenary jobs. Deal?"

    "Deal." Sero hesitated again. "I don¡¯t have a place to sleep either."

    Amaya looked at Sero like he was an idiot. "Alright, fine. We''ll find you somewhere to crash. But you have to find some way to repay me for all this. Got it?"

    Sero looked at her gratefully.

    "Thank you so much!" Tears of happiness began to form in his eyes. "I will definitely find a way to repay your kindness! You are the first person to ever do so for me."

    Sero ignored the indignant cries from Aphiel in his mind.

    "Please don¡¯t mention it." Amaya made a face.

    <hr>

    Later that night, Sero sprawled across his bed in the small room apartment that Amaya had set up for him. It was a rough 15 minute walk away from the Ascendants Association building, and a further 20 from the nearest food shop, but just having a living space was enough for him at the moment.

    "Ahh, this is so cozy." he murmured, despite the cramped space.

    "Are you just going to laze around?" Aphiel suddenly asked in his mind.

    Sero sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He glanced around the room, taking in the small kitchenette, the makeshift bed he was currently on, and the bathroom with a toilet and a small shower. The place was definitely cleaner than the apartment complex he''d been staying in before the apocalypse, and it had a window that let in some natural light. "Where else would I go?" he muttered.

    "Well, that champion said that even if monster outbreaks are contained, there are still some that slip through the defense and lurk in the city. Maybe you could hunt those monsters and grow stronger?"

    Sero laid back on the bed. "Nah, I think I¡¯m gonna sleep tonight."

    Aphiel went quiet for a moment.

    "You know¡­ there could be other champions hunting those stray monsters. You could¡­ copy their skills too¡­"

    Sero immediately sat up. There was a burning greed in his eyes as a malicious grin spread across his face.

    "You might be onto something. See, I knew you weren¡¯t that incompetent." He praised Aphiel with an evil chuckle.

    "¡­My champion, you scare me sometimes¡­"

    <hr>

    Sero soon found himself wandering through the streets of a city he couldn¡¯t recognize anymore.

    "What the fuck¡­ everything is so new¡­"

    It seemed that in the year he was gone, the city had renovated itself with new buildings and amenities. Even the street lights that had flickered in the dark before now shone brightly with renewed vigor.

    As Sero walked down the street, he noticed several people on patrol with glowing symbols on their faces and clothing. They were probably other mercenaries or Ascendants. He considered approaching one of them, but decided against it for now. There was no point in attracting unwanted attention when he was still so weak.

    Instead, he focused on the task at hand: finding a stray monster to hunt. He hadn''t seen any obvious signs of them yet, but he knew they had to be here somewhere. He continued to wander, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity.

    "Aphiel, can¡¯t you sense monsters or something?" Sero complained after walking for hours.

    "¡­If I could, don¡¯t you think I would¡¯ve been guiding you?"

    "Are you giving me attitude?"

    Aphiel didn¡¯t respond.

    Sero sighed in annoyance. He continued to trudge on, turning the corner into a dark and abandoned street.

    As soon as Sero did, he felt a rising sense of danger.

    "Champion."

    "Yeah, I know."

    There was no need for them to say anything else as both Aphiel and Sero could tell something was lurking in the darkness.

    A low growl echoed across the abandoned street and a shadowy figure crawled towards Sero. As it came closer, he could barely make out its form.

    The monster resembled a car-sized wolf, though it had gleaming red eyes and a black coat. The monster¡¯s teeth were sharp and coated in a purple, smoking slime that Sero assumed was poison.

    "I kinda miss the lobster boss."

    Sero clasped his hands together, but before he could conjure his mana sword, a fleeting shadow flew past him.

    "What the¨C"

    The cloaked figure threw small knives at the wolf-like monster, the blades embedding themselves into its fur with dull thuds. The monster howled in pain and charged at the newcomer.

    Sero watched with amazement as the stranger deftly avoided the monster¡¯s claws, leaping around and throwing knives whenever there was an opening.

    The monster was soon coated with more knives than Sero could count, and the stranger finally leaped back, snapping their fingers.

    In a split second, all of the knives glowed a bright purple and then exploded, causing the monster to blow up into pieces. Dark red blood splattered on the walls of the weathered and vacant houses.

    "Oh?" Sero¡¯s body buzzed with power as he subconsciously copied what he saw. He quickly realized that the knives were created with mana and could explode via the user¡¯s will.

    As the stranger made sure the monster was completely destroyed, Sero crept up behind them.

    "That was cool."

    The stranger let out a surprisingly high pitched shriek and whirled around, throwing a knife at Sero.

    He yelped, barely managing to dodge the projectile that flew at his head.

    "Hey, easy! I¡¯m not a monster!" Sero quickly raised his hands in a gesture of peace.

    The stranger was crouched, seemingly on edge as they gazed at him with brilliant violet eyes.

    "¡­Sorry." The stranger quietly said, their voice a soft pitch.

    "Who are you?" Sero asked, cautiously lowering his hands.

    The stranger hesitated for a moment before finally lowering their hood and answering, "My name is Nala."

    Sero was momentarily stunned as she stepped under the streetlights and revealed her face.

    Her features were delicate and fair, with high cheekbones and a pointed chin. Her skin was a warm honey brown, contrasting beautifully with her violet eyes. Long, silky black hair framed her face, falling to her waist in gentle waves. She wore a sleeveless, dark blue top that revealed her toned arms, and a pair of tight-fitting black pants tucked into high-heeled boots. A belt around her waist held several knives and other mysterious trinkets.

    "Are you single?"

    The question took Nala by surprise. She glanced at Sero, her violet eyes narrowing slightly. "Why do you ask?"

    "Cause I think you¡¯re beautiful." Sero shamelessly declared.

    Nala''s cheeks flushed, and she looked away for a moment. "Thank you. But I''m not interested in dating anyone right now." She replied quietly.

    He clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Maybe you could change your mind later? How about we grab lunch sometime?"

    "¡­Champion." Aphiel¡¯s voice suddenly spoke in Sero¡¯s mind with an exasperated tone.

    "Um¡­ not interested. And I don¡¯t know you." Nala shifted uncomfortably.

    "Name¡¯s Sero. I¡¯m a mercenary." He grinned, flashing his teeth boldly and giving her a thumbs up.

    "Well, you¡¯re not technically a mercenary yet. You don¡¯t have your license."

    Sero ignored Aphiel. "Are you a mercenary too?" He raised an eyebrow at Nala.

    She glanced at him again, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Not in the way you mean. I''m just someone who enjoys helping others."

    "Oh, a sense of justice and whatnot. I¡¯m the same way." He lied.

    "Ok¡­" Nala fidgeted awkwardly. "Well, I have to go now¡­ there¡¯s probably more monsters that need to be purged."

    "We could hunt them together?" He stepped forward and extended his hand.

    "Ah, m-maybe next time¡­" Nala shrank away from Sero.

    "Champion¡­ I think you¡¯re scaring her off." Aphiel reprimanded Sero in his mind.

    Sero grinned sheepishly, taking a step back. "Right, sorry. Well, maybe you could show me how to use those knives sometime?" He offered, gesturing towards the knives on Nala''s belt.

    Nala raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, but unless you¡¯re a Shadereaper like me, I can¡¯t teach you any of my skills¨C"

    Sero conjured a mana knife and threw it into a nearby wall. He snapped his fingers and the knife exploded with a green flash. There was a crater left in the weathered brick wall.

    "Like that?"

    Nala stared at him for a moment.

    "You¡¯re a Shadereaper too?"

    "No, I¡¯m a Scholar." He replied bluntly.

    Nala¡¯s mouth opened slightly.

    "You''re a Scholar?" she repeated, as if she couldn''t quite believe it. "But you don''t look like one. You don''t have the... air about you. I don¡¯t even know what a Scholar is."

    Sero pushed aside his hurt and flashed a confident smile. "That''s because there¡¯s never been a Scholar before. Anyways, I¡¯m able to copy and use the skills of other Ascendants."

    Nala took a step closer, her expression curious. "So you''re saying you''re a Scholar, and not a Shadereaper... but you can still use my knives?"

    "Yep," His face had a sinister grin. "Pretty cool, right?"

    Nala hesitated for a moment upon seeing the look on Sero¡¯s face before slowly nodding. "Yeah... That is pretty cool." She glanced at the knives on her belt once more. "Well, if you really want to learn, I could show you some basic stuff."

    Sero had to stop himself from drooling. "Yes, please." He said excitedly, his mind racing with the thought of copying more skills and spending more time with this beautiful woman.

    "Ah, sorry, but I¡¯m still on patrol, so we could meet up tomorrow night." Nala bowed her head.

    Sero nodded eagerly. "Tomorrow night it is." He grinned, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before snapping back to her face. "I''ll meet you here at the same time."

    "Ok¡­" Nala gave him a strange look before she threw her hood back on and quickly slipped away into the shadows.

    Sero stood there for a moment before turning around to walk back to his apartment.

    "Champion?" Aphiel spoke in his mind after a while.

    "Mhm?"

    "Are you going home?"

    "Yep."

    "But¡­ you didn¡¯t hunt any monsters. You only copied one skill."

    "And that¡¯s what I like to call a job well done."

    "You barely did anything."

    "I scored a night date with Nala. And I¡¯ve gotta rest for my day date with Amaya. Two pretty girls with truckloads of skills to copy from. I hope there¡¯ll be more women and skills in the future."

    Aphiel was speechless.

    "Are skills and women all you ever think about?"

    "No. I think about money and food, too."

    Sero chuckled, picturing the annoyed expression on Aphiel''s face. The truth was, he''d never really thought about it before. Skills were like treasures, rare and valuable, and the women who possessed them were even more so. To be able to copy them, to make them his own, to improve upon them... it was a thrill unlike any other. And the women themselves, well, they were just an added bonus.

    "Aphiel, if there¡¯s one thing you should know about me, it¡¯s this," Sero grinned wickedly. "I refuse to be your cookie cutter stereotypical hero. It¡¯s too much work and frankly, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s people out there who would do a better job of being the heroes. So, I¡¯ll let them do all the hard work and copy their strength to live the comfortable life I¡¯ve always wanted."

    He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in before continuing. "As for women, well... they''re just a motivator. A way to improve myself, both in terms of skills and experiences. They''re like books, each with their own unique knowledge to share. And just like any other bookworm, I can''t help but want to read them all."

    "¡­I¡¯ve made a big mistake."

    Sero chuckled menacingly. "Well, you¡¯re stuck with me now. Thank you for your guidance, my goddess."

 Chapter 4: Study Session

    The night passed, and Sero eagerly awaited the dawn, for it would bring with it another day filled with possibilities. He woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside his window, stretched lazily, and made his way to the bathroom to wash up. As he splashed water on his face, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Not only had he managed to secure a date with Nala, but he had also given Aphiel something to think about. Life was good.

    Sero finished getting ready and headed out to meet Amaya at the park she had chosen to practice their swordplay.

    When he got there, he couldn¡¯t help but gaze at Amaya¡¯s outfit.

    She wore a sleeveless white top that clung to her curves, revealing the hint of a tan line along her stomach. Her black leather pants hugged her legs, showing off her toned thighs and calves. Her silver hair was tied up in a ponytail. The sword at her hip gleamed in the sunlight, its handle wrapped in black leather. She was an absolute vision, and Sero couldn''t help but feel a surge of excitement course through him.

    "There¡¯s the ¡®good¡¯ to my ¡®afternoon¡¯." Sero remarked as he approached Amaya.

    "Yeah, I¡¯m already regretting this," Amaya scowled. She shoved a card and a phone at Sero. "Your Ascendant ID was processed, so I thought I¡¯d do you a favor by giving it to you directly. I even got you a phone."

    Sero took the items from her, inspecting the ID card with a raised eyebrow. His confidence slipped away as he read ¡®F-rank¡¯ underneath his photo, and completely disappeared as Aphiel uncharacteristically cackled in his head. He slid the ID card into his pocket and turned on the phone, fiddling with it for a moment before putting it away. "Not bad. So, what''s the plan today?"

    The Ascendant Liaison unsheathed her sword and pointed it at Sero.

    "You might be able to copy my skills and techniques, but experience is also a big factor in battle. So, we''re going to spar against each other."

    "In... the park?"

    Amaya smirked. "Not exactly."

    She closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment. Then, she held out a palm towards Sero and a brilliant blue light enveloped the both of them. Sero suddenly found himself standing in an arena.

    The arena was a gigantic circular structure, made of smooth, white marble. It was surrounded by tiers of seating that extended high into the air, devoid of spectators. A white void surrounded the arena, causing Sero to feel apprehensive about the enormity of the place. The pair stood in the center of the vast dirt arena, and Sero couldn''t help but notice the unnerving silence that suffocated the place.

    "Where the fuck are we?"

    Amaya smiled at Sero''s discomfort.

    "We''re in the arena of my Sponsor."

    "Ah, ok, makes sense." Sero nodded, even though it didn''t make sense to him.

    "My Sponsor is the goddess Athena, from Greek mythology," Amaya continued, sensing his confusion. "I assume you know of her?"

    "Of course." Sero nodded again, recognizing the goddess of wisdom, strategy, and warfare.

    "Well, by invoking the authority of your Sponsor, you can travel to their personalized space. Other Ascendants chosen by the Sponsor can also access this place, which makes it easier to talk to the goddess as well as each other. For today, I¡¯ve requested sole usage of Athena¡¯s space for this time."

    Sero grunted approvingly.

    "Hey, do you have a personalized space too?" Sero asked Aphiel through his thoughts.

    The goddess chuckled. "Yes, but I don''t like to use it often. It''s quite grand and ostentatious, unlike Athena''s more functional and utilitarian arena."

    "¡­You¡¯re lying, aren¡¯t you?"

    Aphiel didn¡¯t reply.

    "I knew it."

    "Ok, it¡¯s small! I don¡¯t have a strong following yet, and you¡¯re the only champion I have!" Aphiel wailed in Sero¡¯s mind.

    Sero glanced at Amaya, who was already in a fighting stance, sword held at the ready. He took a deep breath and readied himself. "Alright, let''s do this!" He clasped his hands together and conjured a mana sword.

    <hr>

    Despite having copied nearly all of Amaya¡¯s movements and swordplay earlier, Sero found himself utterly overwhelmed by her experienced fighting prowess.

    "Ouch." Sero muttered as he laid on the ground. Amaya had knocked him down again, and he had lost track of how many times he lost.

    "You¡¯re¡­ pretty bad." Amaya remarked bluntly as she extended a hand down to Sero.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    "Thanks," Sero grunted, accepting the hand up. "I never claimed to be the best. Just cool."

    He brushed the dirt off his clothes and stood up, determined not to go down again. "So, do you have any advice for me?"

    Amaya pondered for a moment.

    "While it¡¯s true that you can perfectly mimic everything I can do, you don¡¯t seem to be thinking about the best way to do so. I think when you were attacking the lobster boss a few days ago, you were more focused and precise. What went through your mind back then?"

    Sero made a face. "Well, I just used Perfect Analysis to spot its weakness and then¨C"

    A moment of clarity hit him.

    "Holy shit, I can just use Perfect Analysis."

    Sero finally understood what Amaya was getting at. He had been relying too much on his copied skills, not using his head.

    Amaya simply stared at him.

    "You never thought to use that skill until now? Are you sure you¡¯re suited as a Scholar?"

    "I wonder about that myself nowadays." Aphiel chipped in through Sero¡¯s thoughts.

    Sero ignored both of them and conjured his sword again.

    "Ok, let¡¯s do this one last time."

    The two of them circled each other, Amaya on the right and Sero on the left. The silence was deafening, only interrupted by the occasional clanking of their weapons against each other. Sero closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and focused his energy. He activated Perfect Analysis, his senses sharpening as he scanned Amaya''s movements.

    Amaya, sensing Sero''s change in demeanor, smiled faintly. "That''s better." She attacked, feinting high and then low, trying to catch him off guard. Sero easily parried both moves, his reactions honed by the analysis. They continued to circle, each trying to find an opening in the other''s defense.

    Slowly, but surely, Sero began to get the upper hand, finding openings in Amaya¡¯s defense.

    "Nice try," she said through clenched teeth, parrying one of his attacks, "but you''re still not there yet."

    Sero grinned wickedly. "But I will soon," He parried Amaya¡¯s oncoming jab and used the momentum to finally knock her sword out from her hands with a grand flourish. "I win."

    Amaya snorted. "I let you win." She offered her hand, and Sero took it, shaking it firmly. "You''ve made progress, at least. Keep practicing, and you''ll be unstoppable."

    Sero looked at her thoughtfully, his gaze curious.

    Amaya shifted uncomfortably under his eyes.

    "What?" she asked, a little nervous.

    "My Perfect Analysis. I¡¯m learning more about you."

    Amaya felt a rising sense of anxiety.

    "Like¡­ like what?"

    "Well, for starters, it¡¯s telling me your bust, hip size, and weight¨C"

    Amaya glared. Sero held up his hands in mock surrender.

    "Okay, okay. Moving on... you''re also very agile and quick on your feet. And you''re pretty strong too. You have good endurance. Oh, and you''re left-handed." He paused, studying her. "That''s interesting."

    Her anger was replaced by intrigue.

    "What do you mean?"

    Sero frowned.

    "You use your sword in your right hand, but leave your left hand empty. Is there a reason you don¡¯t use your sword in your left hand?"

    Amaya considered his question for a moment. "Well, I''ve always been left-handed, so it felt more natural to use my right hand for swordplay. And since I''m quicker with my left hand, it''s more efficient to keep it free. Besides, I cast magic faster in my left hand."

    "Makes sense." Sero muttered.

    Amaya sighed and stretched her arms up in the air.

    "Let¡¯s stop here." She closed her eyes and a brilliant blue light enveloped the pair, bringing them back to the park after the light faded. "Go get washed up using the association showers and meet me in front of the entrance. We need to do something about your F-rank so you can start mercenary work."

    Sero nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. He had managed to improve his swordplay significantly in just a few short hours. Granted, he did have his Perfect Analysis as a crutch, but it didn¡¯t make him feel any less accomplished.

    As he walked toward the showers, he wondered what Amaya had in store to help him raise his Ascendant rank.

    "Maybe I have to retake the assessment again..." Sero murmured to himself.

    He arrived at the showers, nodding at the other male Ascendants as he passed by. Some of them gave him curious glances, which was understandable since it was his first time using the showers so they were seeing him for the first time. He stripped off his clothes and stepped under the warm water, letting it wash away the sweat and grime of training.

    After he finished washing up, Sero dressed himself and headed back to the entrance of the association building, where Amaya was waiting.

    "So, what do you have in mind?" he asked her as they walked side by side. He was curious to see how she planned on helping him raise his rank.

    Amaya made a face.

    "Well, after you take the assessment test, the only way to raise it is by clearing trials set by the Ascendants Association."

    Sero grunted. "I assume the trials act like an advancement test? Like if I clear a D-rank trial, I get promoted to D-rank?"

    Amaya nodded. "Exactly."

    "What the fuck, am I in some sort of generic RPG comic story?" he muttered to himself.

    "Huh?"

    "Nothing," Sero shook his head. "So, I''m guessing you''re going to train me up so I can take the D-rank trial?"

    "You''re smarter than you look." Amaya gave him a playful smirk.

    Sero scowled, but it was quickly replaced by a crazed smile.

    Amaya flinched at his expression and warily stared at him.

    "What... are you thinking about?" She asked cautiously.

    "Fuck that," Sero had an unhinged gleam in his eyes. "Take me straight to the A-rank trial."

    Amaya''s eyes widened in surprise, and she took a step back. "Wha-What?!"

    "Oh!" Sero paused. "Wait, I need you to do me a favor before I tackle the A-rank trial."

    "What sort of favor?" Amaya continued to watch him warily.

    Sero solemnly bowed his head.

    "Please introduce me to as many A-rank Ascendants as you possibly can."

    "Oh..." Amaya said, understanding now. "Well, I can do that, but I can''t guarantee they''ll want to train you."

    "Who said anything about training?" A sinister smile on his face matched the crazed look in his eyes.

    "...Right. Why did I expect anything else?"

 Chapter 5: Peer Review

    Later that afternoon, Amaya managed to call up two of her close friends for Sero to meet.

    The first A-rank Ascendant was a woman named Kanna. She was tall, with short black hair and piercing brown eyes. She wore a flowing red kimono that accentuated her curves, and she carried herself with an air of confidence that could only belong to someone who had earned their place in the world. As they met at a quiet caf¨¦, Kanna ordered a cup of tea and took a seat across from Sero.

    Sero said nothing and simply stared at Kanna.

    "S-Sero?" Amaya nudged him.

    Sero blinked, breaking his stare. "Oh, uh, hi." He said, forcing a smile. "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Kanna. I''m Sero." He reached out to shake her hand, but Kanna merely raised an eyebrow and sat back in her seat.

    "Anyways... Um, Sero would like to see a demonstration of your skills, Kanna." Amaya tried to break the awkward atmosphere.

    Kanna raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think I''d want to do that?"

    Despite their closeness, Amaya knew how proud Kanna could be. A slight feeling of anxiety crept over her as she tried to think of a way to convince her friend.

    To the shock of both women, Sero abruptly got out of his seat and knelt down in front of Kanna, his head on the ground.

    "I am but a humble F-rank Ascendant!" Sero proclaimed loudly. "I wish to see the strength of a rank I can only dream of achieving!"

    The two women were stunned for a moment. Amaya could feel her face heat up from embarrassment and knew Kanna felt the same way. The pair didn¡¯t have to look around to realize that the other patrons in the caf¨¦ were staring at the three.

    "Um, well..." Kanna coughed into her hand. "I-I suppose I could show you something." She hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Amaya. "Have a space in mind?"

    Amaya recovered from her embarrassment and nodded. "Yeah, let''s use Athena''s arena."

    In a few minutes, Sero and Amaya stood in front of Kanna as she seemed deep in concentration. Thankfully, the arena was empty of other Ascendants, so there were no unwanted spectators.

    "What class is she?" Sero leaned over and whispered to Amaya.

    "She''s a Deadshot. One of the strongest advanced classes in the Archer class."

    "Huh? Advanced classes? You mean people can advance their classes like in a game?"

    "Something like that, yeah."

    "I really am in a game-type story." Sero grumbled bitterly to himself.

    A flash of red light interrupted their conversation as Kanna opened her eyes, her hands covered in crimson mana. She nodded at Amaya.

    "Would you be so kind as to fire off mana targets for me to shoot at?" She asked her.

    Amaya obliged, charging up blue mana between her palms. She then fired off several balls of blue light up into the air.

    "Wait," Sero protested. "Is she just going to shoot mana bolts at them? I mean, I could probably do that and accuracy isn''t really a cool skill to learn¨C"

    Kanna quickly fired several beams of screeching red mana towards the blue mana balls. In an instant, all the beams connected, creating several enormous explosions of red mana that completely dyed the sky crimson with a chorus of deafening booms.

    Sero''s body buzzed with power as he copied Kanna''s skill in shock. Using his Perfect Analysis, Sero realized that Kanna had compressed her mana to its limits before she launched them with precise aim. In essence, she was a living machine gun that had just shot mana nukes.

    "Holy fuck."

    Sero stared, open-mouthed, at the display of raw power before him. His eyes darted back and forth between Kanna and Amaya, as if trying to take in everything at once. He felt a mixture of awe and fear coursing through his veins. Kanna''s display had completely shattered any preconceived notions he had about what it meant to be an A-rank Ascendant. It was as if she was a force of nature, unstoppable and unyielding.

    His shock slowly turned into excitement as he stared at Kanna with a hungry gaze.

    "Show me more."

    Sero''s voice was barely more than a whisper, but it echoed through the arena nonetheless. Kanna raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused by his enthusiasm. She nodded at Amaya with a prideful smirk, who fired more mana targets in the air.

    This time, Kanna fired off several smaller beams of red mana that whistled through the air, piercing the targets. Sero''s copy and analysis informed him that the skill resembled a mana railgun, an extremely fast and nigh unblockable attack.

    "Satisfied?" Kanna asked Sero, a hint of smugness in her tone as she quickly finished eliminating all the targets.

    He nodded graciously, bowing extremely low at her feet.

    "Thank you for your kindness!" Sero proclaimed unashamedly.

    "...You''re welcome..." Kanna hesitantly replied as she unconsciously stepped back. "Is there anything else you need?"

    Though her words made it seem like she wanted to help him, her tone implied otherwise.

    "That''s all I need, thank you!" Sero continued to bow.

    Kanna glanced at Amaya, a desperate look on her face. Amaya sighed in embarrassment and held a palm towards her, sending Kanna back to the real world in a flash of blue light.

    "So," Amaya turned back to Sero, who got up and brushed himself off. "Did you copy all of that?"

    Sero''s face contorted into an evil smile. His hands were enveloped in a green haze and he raised them to the sky.

    Laughing maniacally, Sero fired off beams of green mana into the sky, alternating between the exploding nukes and deadly railguns. The sky bled green as Sero lost himself in the skills Kanna showed him.

    "I''m guessing that''s a yes..."

    Sero suddenly stopped firing his mana into the air and fell on the ground face-first, his laugh cut short.

    Amaya hesitated, then knelt down next to him.

    "Are... Are you ok?" She asked him nervously.

    Sero gave a muffled chuckle. "I''m so fucking cool." he said, before going silent.

    "Sero?"

    When he didn''t respond, Amaya let out a heavy sigh, realizing he had passed out.

    <hr>

    After he recovered in the association infirmaries, Amaya took Sero to meet the second A-rank Ascendant in front of the association entrance.

    "Feeling better?" Amaya asked Sero as they waited for her friend.

    Sero shrugged. "I keep forgetting I don¡¯t have unlimited mana. It¡¯s crazy to think that Kanna can just do that without tiring." He paused.

    "Also, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, but could you explain more about classes? My goddess- er, Sponsor, wasn¡¯t very clear on that."

    Sero ignored Aphiel¡¯s indignant cries.

    "Oh. Yeah, well every Ascendant starts off with a base class. So far, there¡¯s 7 generic base classes which are Warriors, Archers, Thieves, Mages, Brawlers, Healers, and Summoners." Amaya began.

    "Ok¡­" Sero slowly nodded.

    "Each base class can be advanced depending on how much effort a person spends on improving themselves. For example, I was able to reach Spellblade by learning swordplay as a Mage class, though it was difficult at first." Amaya continued.

    "Oh, I get it so far," Sero mused. "Then what base class is a Scholar?"

    Amaya made a face.

    "Since you¡¯re the only one we know so far who¡¯s ascended as a Scholar, I¡¯d say there¡¯s a good chance you¡¯re a unique class."

    "Unique as in¡­ I¡¯m the only one who has this class?"

    Amaya nodded. "Sort of. Unique classes are infamous because there¡¯s usually only one Ascendant who has that specific class as well as having no known advancements. However, there are some unique classes that are very rare due to their extremely specific qualifications, so there may be a few Ascendants that share that class." Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Sero¡¯s eyes began to glaze over.

    "Er, to put it in simple terms, the two types of unique classes are ones like your Scholar, where only one Ascendant has been known to achieve, and classes like the¡­ Demon, where very few people achieve." Amaya shivered. "Those with the Demon class are bad news. It usually means that they have evil personalities and traits that made them ascend as such."

    "Hey, that sounds more fitting for you." Aphiel remarked in Sero¡¯s thoughts.

    "Huh, so there are others like me¡­" Sero murmured, continuing to ignore Aphiel.

    "I really hope there aren¡¯t." Amaya quietly prayed.

    "What¡¯d you say?"

    "Hey, you must be Sero!" a tall, lanky man with a boyish face and messy brown hair interrupted them with a smile as he jogged up to the pair. His dark eyes seemed to hold a hint of mischief. "I''m Raul, nice to meet you!"

    Sero barely managed to hide his disappointment.

    "I¡¯m Sero." he tried to sound upbeat.

    "Thanks for meeting with us, Raul," Amaya said, giving Sero a dirty look as if she knew what he was thinking. "I know you¡¯re pretty busy."

    "Ah, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m happy to help." Raul grinned at Sero. "When you told me you were helping out a newbie, I couldn¡¯t just say no. I remember what it was like to start from the beginning."

    Sero forced himself to smile.

    "I didn¡¯t take you for a mentor, though. Is this something new you¡¯ve been trying?" Raul asked Amaya.

    She shook her head.

    "Not exactly. Without going into too much detail, Sero was jobless, homeless, and powerless,"

    Sero¡¯s eyes twitched.

    "¡­And I¡¯ve been setting him up so he can start supporting himself. As for today, Sero was wondering if you could demonstrate your skills. He¡¯s an F-rank, so he wanted to get a glimpse of an A-rank¡¯s potential."

    Amaya paused, giving Sero a curious look.

    "Well, he won¡¯t be an F-rank for long since his Scholar¨C"

    "Since I¡¯m trying to grow stronger as soon as possible!" Sero quickly interjected and extended a hand out to Raul. "I would be grateful for a demonstration!"

    Raul was taken aback, but recovered and shook Sero¡¯s hand with another warm smile.

    "Of course! I am always willing to help those in need, no matter what."

    Sero forced himself not to cringe at Raul¡¯s overly friendly energy.

    As Amaya began to teleport the three into Athena¡¯s arena, she gave Sero an inquisitive look.

    He shook his head. "Later," he mouthed.

    After the trio were safely teleported to Athena¡¯s arena, Raul began stretching.

    "Raul¡¯s a Rage Fist, an advancement of the Brawler class," Amaya explained. "He¡¯s on the verge of becoming an S-rank."

    "Another advanced class?" Sero muttered.

    "So, Sero," Raul began as he leaned over to stretch his side. "How good are you at hand-to-hand combat?"

    "I''m not bad," Sero replied, flexing his fingers. "But I''m not strong enough to win against an A-rank."

    Raul grinned. "Humble, huh? I like that." He cracked his knuckles and raised his fists like a boxer.

    Sero copied his stance, though he was hesitant to actually fight him.

    "Don''t worry," Raul reassured him. "I won''t hurt you. I''ll just demonstrate what I can do. Then I''ll give you some tips."

    "Oh, that''s perfect." Sero fought back the urge to smile. He had no intention of learning from Raul; at least, not by his teaching.

    As they circled each other, Sero studied Raul''s movements. He was taller and leaner than Sero, and his fighting style was more fluid and precise. His fists moved like blurs as he attacked, each strike aiming for a vital spot.

    Sero¡¯s body buzzed as he copied Raul¡¯s technique, though he started to grow impatient that he wasn¡¯t using any skills.

    Although Sero managed to block or dodge each of Raul¡¯s attacks, he winced from the sheer strength behind each impact.

    "Fuck!" Sero thought to himself.

    As they continued to spar, Sero found himself unable to land a single hit on Raul. His attacks either bounced off Raul''s rock-hard skin or were easily blocked. Raul, on the other hand, was beginning to tire Sero out with each successive blow.

    With a final strike, Raul landed a hefty blow to Sero¡¯s stomach, knocking him backwards onto the ground with a loud thump.

    Sero wheezed as he hit the floor and tried to breathe through the pain. He was dimly aware of Amaya¡¯s snickering.

    "Hey... not bad." Raul entered Sero''s vision with a warm smile. He extended a hand down.

    Sero grimaced but took Raul''s hand and pulled himself up.

    "Thanks." he muttered, brushing the dirt off himself.

    "You''re pretty decent. I''m impressed that you were able to keep up with me for that long." Raul remarked, gazing at Sero with a curious expression.

    "That''s because he was copying you." Aphiel spoke in Sero''s mind, even though he was the only one who could hear her.

    "Yeah, well, I''m more interested in seeing some of a Rage Fist''s skills." Sero stretched his body.

    "Skills? Well I guess I could show you some basic ones." Raul murmured thoughtfully.

    Sero had to bite his tongue. He didn''t want basic skills, he wanted top quality, powerful attacks.

    "You''re just annoyed that he isn''t a pretty girl." Aphiel piped through his thoughts, noting Sero''s displeasure.

    Before Sero could snap back at her, Raul snapped his fingers and smiled brightly.

    "Oh! I could show you energy and mana efficiency!"

    A sudden sinister gleam sparked within Sero''s eyes as he whipped his attention to Raul.

    "They sound... interesting. What are they exactly?" he said, as a hungry look contorted his face.

    "They¡¯re¨C my god, you scared me¨C they''re skills that help you use energy and mana more efficiently. Well, they¡¯re more like principles than skills, really."

    Raul rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

    "Though energy efficiency might take you a while to learn, I¡¯m sure mana efficiency would be easy to pick up. Speaking of, what¡¯s your class anyway?"

    Sero hesitated for a moment.

    "I¡¯m a Spellblade." He lied, giving Amaya a pointed stare.

    She raised an eyebrow, but didn¡¯t say anything, much to Sero¡¯s relief.

    "Oh, the same as Amaya, huh? No wonder she¡¯s eager to help you out." Raul nodded understandingly.

    "Yeah. Honestly, I just want to see how you do that energy and mana efficiency stuff, so don¡¯t worry about teaching me the theories or whatever." Sero urged him.

    "Huh? But wouldn¡¯t it be better if I taught you as I demonstrate? I think you¡¯d at least benefit from learning about the¨C"

    Sero waved a dismissive hand. "No, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t want to take up more of your time. And besides, I have some important things to do soon."

    Raul frowned, unsure of his intentions. Finally, he shrugged.

    "Alright, if you insist."

    The Rage Fist closed his eyes and pressed his palms together, as if in prayer.

    "Watch closely. See how I¡¯m focused?"

    Sero gave a slight nod as his body began to buzz with power.

    "This is how you circulate and manage energy. It¡¯s a little different from mana. Think of it as your natural battery." Even though nothing was happening visually, Sero could feel a physical pressure emitting from Raul.

    "By controlling your energy, you can use it to replenish your stamina, strength, and even increase your recovery rate," Raul continued. "But be careful. Your energy is linked to your physical body¡¯s limits. If you expend all of your energy, you¡¯ll find yourself weak and unable to do anything. You can increase your energy pool by training your body physically."

    Raul opened his eyes and immediately leapt back into a defensive stance upon seeing the grotesque look of happiness on Sero¡¯s face.

    "Oops." Sero quickly dropped his sneer and maintained a neutral look. Even though Raul was lecturing as he demonstrated, Sero overlooked it since his Perfect Analysis made him realize just how valuable energy efficiency was. Not that he was listening, anyway.

    "Oh my god¨C sorry, you scared me again." Raul relaxed his body but kept a wary gaze on Sero.

    He pressed his palms together again, his eyes opened this time.

    "This is mana," Orange streams of light began to swirl around Raul as Sero¡¯s body buzzed with power again. "It¡¯s very similar to your natural energy, but instead of being linked to your physicality, it¡¯s more dependent on your spiritual side."

    Sero nodded, even though he wasn¡¯t absorbing anything he said. His Perfect Analysis would enable him to understand it later.

    "The more in tune you are with yourself, the larger your internal pool of mana is. That¡¯s why Mages and magic-related classes usually have a deep understanding of mana and have seemingly limitless reserves of it."

    "That¡¯s right. It¡¯s why I¡¯m able to use magic so often in battle." Amaya chimed in.

    "However, one advantage mana has over energy is that you can pull it from your surroundings too. The only difficulty with that is that the process of drawing in outside mana takes a long time to learn, and even if you manage that, you still have to convert that mana to a similar form like your own internal mana to use it."

    Raul dispersed the gathered mana from his body and smiled warmly at Sero.

    "Just like with energy, if you use up all your internal mana, you¡¯ll feel the exhaustion, though more mentally than physically."

    "Oh, so that¡¯s why I pass out so much." Sero murmured.

    "What?"

    "Nothing," Sero shook his head and flashed a toothy grin. "Thanks for the lesson."

    Raul nodded happily. "When you get the hang of energy and mana efficiency techniques, you¡¯ll notice a huge difference in the way you lose excess energy and mana. To put it simply, energy and mana are like a tightly coiled spring. Release the tension all at once and you will need time to compress it again after a recovery period. But if you relieve the tension slowly, you can also compress it while maintaining that tension."

    He suddenly assumed a defensive position and breathed out slowly. Sero felt the physical pressure exuding from the Rage Fist. His Perfect Analysis told him that Raul was managing his energy so efficiently, that there was no excess waste.

    In an instant, Raul launched a single jab so quickly that Sero registered the move a minute after it happened. A few seconds later, a gust of wind and pressure blasted Sero, causing him to stumble back.

    "Shit!" He cursed, almost losing his footing.

    "Sorry," Raul smiled sheepishly. "I tried to hold back as much as possible."

    "It¡¯s fine," Sero scowled as he ignored Aphiel¡¯s and Amaya¡¯s snickering. "I¡¯m thankful for the demonstration."

    Raul chuckled. "It¡¯s no problem. Maybe I can help you learn sometime later."

    "Sure." Sero feigned a friendly smile. He had already finished absorbing the concepts behind energy and mana efficiency, so he wanted to try practicing as soon as possible.

    "Well, if that¡¯s all you need, then I¡¯ll leave you two. It was nice meeting you, Sero." Raul extended a hand.

    Sero grunted and shook it.

    Amaya sent Raul back with a flash of blue mana and turned to Sero.

    "So¨C"

    She visibly flinched from the unnerving smile and insane glint in his eyes.

    "Um, you¡¯re not thinking of doing what I think you¡¯re going to do, are you?"

    Sero didn¡¯t reply, holding his palms up in the sky instead.

    "Don¡¯t you dare¨C!"

    Sero laughed maniacally as he fired green beams of mana into the sky, alternating between exploding nukes and piercing railguns.

    Amaya sighed to herself as she watched the entire arena become bathed in an emerald hue.

 Chapter 6: Icebreakers

    When Sero woke up in the association infirmary again, he was slightly surprised to see Amaya sitting next to his bed, her focus on her laptop screen.

    "Oh, this is a pleasant view to wake up to." Sero remarked as Amaya took notice of him.

    "Can¡¯t say I agree," Amaya replied with a scowl as she put away her laptop. "Please, stop passing out. There¡¯s no way that that¡¯s good for you."

    "Aww, you do care for me." Sero smirked.

    Amaya glared at him. "So, now that you¡¯ve gotten better at wasting your strength, what are you planning on doing now?"

    Sero thought for a moment.

    "Well, I did last for a lot longer than before in the arena¨C"

    "I cannot believe you lasted more than 30 minutes firing full-powered mana attacks."

    "¨Cso I think I¡¯m ready to take on the A-rank trial."

    Amaya raised an eyebrow. "You''re planning on doing that right now? You just passed out from using too much mana."

    Sero smirked. "You think I¡¯d just waste mana for the fun of it?"

    "Yeah." Amaya immediately replied.

    "Yes." Aphiel agreed in his thoughts.

    "I- wow, ok that¡¯s fair, but anyways," Sero¡¯s eyes glinted with mischief. "Yes, I did that for fun, but also to test my limits. Now that I know I can last around half an hour or so at full power, imagine how long I can last if I carefully manage my resources?"

    Amaya crossed her arms. "You know, you could just try using magic more efficiently from the start. You don''t have to burn yourself out just to find out."

    Sero snorted. "Well, I''m not going to burn myself out anymore. Those first two times were all I needed."

    Amaya looked at him skeptically. Then she sighed and shook her head.

    "Whatever. It''s not my problem."

    Sero grunted. "So, when I''m ready, take me to the A-rank trial. I got some pretty good skills in my arsenal."

    Amaya fell quiet for a moment, studying him carefully.

    "Speaking of, why are you so obsessed with skills? Obviously, your Scholar class enables you to copy them, but you have a really... unsettling craving for them."

    Sero blinked in surprise.

    "Oh," He began, unprepared for her question. "I don''t really know how to put it in words. I guess it''s because before the apocalypse, I never really had anything going on for me."

    He glanced at nothing in particular as he lost himself in his thoughts.

    "I was a loser, and it sucked because I pretty much accepted it. I was going through the same routine day by day and didn''t think I''d ever get somewhere."

    Sero brought himself back and glanced at Amaya.

    "When I ascended as a Scholar and learned that I could copy any skill I wanted, I guess I felt like I could be something more than a loser."

    Amaya''s eyes widened slightly. "So... it''s like a second chance at life for you?"

    Sero couldn''t help but think of Aphiel as he snickered.

    "You have no idea how right you are."

    It was his turn to look at Amaya with a questioning look.

    "Since we''re getting to know each other, I''ve been wondering. You''re an Ascendant Liaison, right? But you''re also in a guild. How does that work?"

    A sudden darkness clouded Amaya''s face as she avoided Sero''s eyes.

    "I''d rather not talk about that."

    Sero opened his mouth, but closed it.

    "Sure. I''m not the type to pry."

    The pair grew quiet as Sero waited for the doctor to come and check on him.

    Amaya took a deep breath and turned to him. The hard expression she wore a moment ago had softened.

    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to get all moody on you. It''s just... the reasons for my situation are still a little sore to talk about."

    Sero nodded slightly and remained quiet.

    "I was in the Blue Wave Brigade guild before I was an Ascendant Liaison. When the apocalypse happened, my parents died in the chaos. It was just me and my sister at the time."

    Amaya stared off at a corner of the room, seemingly deep in her memories.

    "I ascended as a Mage about a month later. I pushed myself really hard and got accepted into the Blue Wave Brigade. For a while, I was on the frontlines, taking care of the monster outbreaks while making sure my sister was safe. Then, she ascended as a Mage not too long after I got settled in the guild."

    She took a shaky breath and turned back to Sero.

    "Anyway, it''s still a little painful to talk about, so to put it shortly, my sister''s not here anymore and I had to take a break from the guild for a bit. Monster outbreaks aren''t as frequent anymore since the world quickly adapted, so I chose to become an Ascendant Liaison."

    Even though she didn''t explain anything else, Sero could figure that she joined the Ascendant Association to prevent whatever tragedy befell her from happening to anyone else.

    "Sorry to hear that." He quietly told her.

    Amaya gave him a strained smile. "It''s really weird hearing sincerity like that from you, but thanks."

    She paused for a moment, then continued, "Anyway, I guess if you''re really set on taking the A-rank trial straight away, I can give you the rundown of what to expect."

    Sero perked up, sitting up a little straighter in his bed. "Oh, really? That''d be a huge help."

    Amaya nodded. "The A-rank trial is difficult for many Ascendants to pass because you have to fight a copy of yourself. As soon as you step in there, it''ll be like looking at yourself."

    She took a deep breath. "The copy is called a Reflected Ascendant. They have all of your skills, stats, equipment, personality, and memories. The fight takes place in a separate large arena where you can use the environment to your advantage. The Reflected Ascendant will fight you just as you would in any other battle."

    "Fuck." Sero realized what that meant for him.

    "Yeah. Even with your arsenal of copied skills, your copy can just use Perfect Analysis. Essentially¨C"

    "It''d be a stalemate. Unless I come up with something that can beat it." Sero finished.

    Amaya nodded, seemingly deep in thought. "That''s what I''d do. Think of a way to beat yourself. It''s not impossible, as long as you have the skills and the creativity to do so. That''s how I became an A-rank."

    Sero stared at her in surprise.

    "You''re an A-rank?"

    Amaya smirked. "Of course."

    "But, during that lobster boss, I remember it was a C-rank?"

    "Well, yeah. Boss rank doesn''t always correlate to Ascendant ranks. I would''ve eventually defeated it without your help."

    The pair was interrupted as Sero''s doctor came in to check on him.

    "Well, you should rest for today. I''ll take you to the A-rank trial site tomorrow." Amaya took her laptop and left.

    After Sero was cleared to leave, he walked back to his apartment trying to think of ways he could defeat himself.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    He mulled over Amaya''s words, wondering how she managed to beat her own copy. As he reached his apartment, Sero shook his head and pushed the matter aside, deciding to sleep on it. After his date with Nala tonight, of course.

    <hr>

    Sero waited impatiently for the night to come, occasionally practicing his energy and mana efficiency techniques as the hours ticked by. Finally, a little before midnight, he ventured out from his apartment towards the same abandoned street he met Nala the night before.

    The air was cool and crisp, the stars shining brightly overhead. He walked down the deserted street, his footsteps echoing softly on the concrete. As he neared the meeting spot, he couldn''t help but feel a mixture of anticipation and excitement. Granted, learning more Shadereaper skills would bolster his ability repertoire, but for the moment, Sero was eager to see Nala again.

    As he stepped onto the abandoned street, Sero noticed that there were no traces of the wolf monster from the night before.

    "I guess there are people that clean it? Or do monsters just evaporate after they are killed?" He mused to himself as he scanned the surroundings for Nala.

    For a long while, Sero sat on a nearby rusted bench, waiting for her.

    "I think she forgot about you." Aphiel said in his mind.

    "There''s no way she did. I left a pretty good impression last night." Sero replied confidently.

    "I''m not sure if ''good'' is the word I''d use."

    "You''ll see. She''ll show up." Sero began to feel less confident.

    An hour passed. Sero began to wonder if he should just give up and go home.

    "No!" he yelled, standing up abruptly. "I''ll wait another half hour!"

    "Champion..."

    Sero sat back down and folded his arms, determined to wait. Although he was pretty sure Nala had forgotten or simply chose not to come by, he didn''t know what else to do.

    "It''s ok, champion. Everyone gets rejected every so often. It''s normal." Aphiel tried to comfort him.

    Sero didn''t reply.

    A half hour came and went, finally causing him to give up.

    As he stood up, he suddenly heard a soft rustle.

    Whirling around, Sero caught sight of a cloaked figure standing in the middle of the street.

    "Nala?" He stepped closer to the figure.

    Her violet eyes gazed at him with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension as she pulled her hood off. She wore the same tight-fitting black pants tucked into high-heeled boots but with a dark brown long-sleeved top this time.

    "I''m surprised you showed up." Nala''s voice was soft and even.

    "I was thinking the same thing." Sero couldn''t help but grin despite waiting a long time for her.

    "Were you waiting long? You seem a little grumpy."

    "Nah, I just got here," Sero lied. "What were you up to?"

    "Hunting stray monsters." Nala fidgeted with her cloak.

    "Oh, this is a nightly thing for you?"

    Nala nodded and remained silent.

    "I don''t think she''s big on conversation." Aphiel noted in Sero''s mind.

    "Well, anyways, how about we just get right into it? I''ll tag along as you hunt and you could show me more of your Shadereaper skills." Sero pressed on.

    Nala glanced at him, her violet eyes unreadable. "Are you sure? You don''t have anything else to do?"

    Sero dropped his eyes to half-mast and grinned. "Nah, I''m free for the rest of the night. I''d love to spend more time with a beautiful woman like you."

    "Alright then," Nala said with a hint of surprise in her voice. "Follow me." She quickly turned and took off at a jog, her cloak billowing behind her. Sero hurried to catch up, dodging through the shadows cast by the dilapidated buildings. As they ran, Nala effortlessly leapt over piles of rubble and debris that Sero stumbled and tripped over.

    "Champion," Aphiel sounded embarrassed. "Stop neglecting your skills and use Perfect Analysis to copy her movements."

    Sero grunted his thanks towards Aphiel, then focused on Nala again. As they raced through the alleyways, he began to notice the way she moved. The way she flowed from one motion to the next, always maintaining her balance and agility. It was as if she were dancing through the city streets. He mimicked her movements, trying to replicate her grace and poise.

    The pair were silent as they patrolled the streets, sticking to the shadows as they kept an eye out for stray monsters. A few civilians walked around the more lit areas, unaware of the duo that lurked in the darkness.

    "Aren''t you going to say anything?" Aphiel asked after a while.

    "Like what?" Sero thought back. "I didn''t plan on getting this far."

    "...How about asking her about herself? You know, like regular humans do."

    "So... how long have you been doing this?" Sero asked Nala.

    She glanced at him over her shoulder, her violet eyes studying his face. "A while," she replied. "Since I ascended shortly after the monster outbreaks."

    "Champion, ask something better! Obviously the timeframe is limited between now and a year ago when the apocalypse began." Aphiel was exasperated.

    "Ok... what made you want to be a mercenary instead of joining a guild?" Sero tried again.

    Nala thought for a moment before answering. "I wanted to be free to choose my own path. I didn''t want to be tied down to anyone or anything." Her voice was soft but determined. "And I liked the challenge of being my own boss. It''s not easy, but I''ve learned a lot along the way."

    "Oh, I can relate to that."

    The pair began to head back towards the abandoned streets.

    "What rank are you?" Sero continued.

    Nala shrugged. "I''m not really concerned with ranks. I''m just trying to survive and help others do the same. Besides, there are plenty of people stronger than me out there. I''d rather focus on improving myself."

    "That''s an interesting mindset," Sero nodded thoughtfully. "I''m an F-rank myself."

    "...Is that something to be proud of?" Nala asked, her voice emotionless.

    "Not really, but tomorrow I''m going to take the A-rank trial and be promoted." Sero replied.

    "Hmm, good luck with that," Nala said nonchalantly. "Not everyone passes on their first try."

    "Thanks," Sero smirked. "But I''ll definitely pass."

    As they continued walking, Sero couldn''t help but feel a bit intimidated by Nala''s nonchalant demeanor. He had never met anyone quite like her before. She was strong, independent, and didn''t seem to care about the trappings of status or power. It was refreshing, and yet at the same time, it made him wonder what kind of person she really was beneath the surface.

    "Well, since we didn''t find any monsters, how about you show me a Shadereaper skill?" Sero asked her as they turned into the abandoned street.

    Nala shrugged. "Are you planning on copying it?"

    "Yeah."

    Nala stood still and glanced at Sero with an unreadable expression.

    "Ok then. Watch closely."

    For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then, Nala''s form suddenly dissolved into shadows right in front of Sero. His body buzzed with power as he watched her disappear.

    "What the¨C"

    "I''m still here, don''t worry," Sero could hear her disembodied voice. "This is my Shadow Sneak skill. Its utility is much more potent at night and in dark areas."

    Sero''s Perfect Analysis also informed him that Nala''s shadowy form was maintained by a constant stream of mana.

    "I mainly use this to hide within shadows and dark areas for recon. It''s also a useful skill for escape or infiltration." Shadows began to condense in front of Sero until they transformed back into Nala''s original form.

    "That is pretty useful." Sero couldn''t hide his glee, his face contorted in an unnerving smile.

    Nala slightly flinched.

    "Don''t look at it like that. It''s just a skill." She sounded embarrassed. "It''s not like I''m showing you my most powerful move or anything."

    "Right, sorry. I just can''t help myself whenever I see a new skill." Sero still couldn''t wipe the grin off his face.

    "So... did you copy that?"

    "Yup." Sero performed Shadow Sneak for her, noting the strange out of body sensation before solidifying his body again.

    "I still can''t believe someone like you exists." Nala shook her head in disbelief.

    Sero chuckled. "Stick around, I''ll show you even more incredible things." He purred.

    "Sure," Nala fidgeted with her cloak. "Whatever you say."

    Sero suddenly took out his phone and offered it to Nala.

    "How about you give me your number?"

    "My number?" Nala repeated, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "I don''t know if that''s a good idea."

    "Well, we''re mercenaries, right? Maybe it''d be a good idea to keep in touch. Who knows, maybe we could pair up and go on patrol at night together too." Sero pressed on.

    "Easy, champion." Aphiel warned in his mind.

    Nala hesitated for a moment, then took Sero''s phone and keyed in her number. "There. That''s my number." She handed the phone back to him. "But don''t expect me to answer every time you call."

    "Oh, don''t worry, I''m not gonna pester you all the time," he grinned. "Just every so often, if you''re down."

    Nala rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever." She glanced at the time on her phone. "I should head back. I have something to do."

    "Oh, right. Well, I should get going too." Sero nodded. "It was nice seeing you again, Nala. Take care."

    Nala nodded. "You too." There was a brief pause before she added, "Hey, you know that Shadow Sneak skill you copied from me?"

    "Yeah?"

    "Don''t use it to stalk me, ok?" Nala warned him. There was a brief flash of something in her eyes, but it was gone before Sero could identify it. "Just because we''re acquaintances now doesn''t mean I''ll let you get away with it."

    "I wasn''t¨C Who said I''d¨C Ok, I won''t." Sero stammered.

    For the first time since they met, Nala smiled in amusement.

    "I was just kidding. Sort of. I''m not entirely sure you wouldn''t, but I''m choosing to believe you won''t."

    With that, Nala threw on her hood and slipped away into the darkness.

    "Wait, I didn''t even get to see more of your other skills!" Sero called out after her, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "Maybe next time, Nala!"

    But she was already gone even before he called out to her. Sero clicked his tongue and turned back to head to his apartment.

    "I''d say that went pretty well." Aphiel piped in his mind.

    "Are you being sarcastic?"

    Aphiel didn''t reply.

    As he walked through the city, he couldn''t help but wonder what it would be like to team up with Nala on a job. She was clever, stealthy, and had some really cool abilities. Plus, she was pretty cute too. He imagined them sneaking through the shadows together, taking down their enemies with ease. It was a nice thought.

    Sero got ready for bed as soon as he got back to his apartment. As he crept underneath the covers, Sero suddenly realized something.

    "Fuck. I forgot to prepare for the A-rank trial tomorrow."

 Chapter 7: The Quiz is too Easy

    The next day, Sero yawned as he waited for Amaya to arrive at the association building entrance. He was glad that the apartment complex Amaya set up for him was a rough 10 minute walk away.

    "You look a bit rough around the edges," Amaya commented as she walked up to him. "Had a bit too much fun last night?"

    Sero blinked away his exhaustion as he gazed at her outfit.

    "Well, you look pretty stylish yourself," he said, his eyes drawn to the way her long, silvery hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, revealing her pale neck and the small, silver hoop earrings that dangled from her earlobes. She wore a form-fitting black tank top that hugged her slender figure, showing off her toned arms and midriff, and a pair of black leather pants that hugged her long, toned legs. Her black, knee-high combat boots completed the ensemble, making her look both sexy and dangerous.

    Amaya immediately scowled.

    "I told you to quit that. Anyways, you don''t seem like you''re dressed for physical activity." She raked her eyes over Sero''s outfit.

    Sporting a black bomber jacket over a plain gray shirt, Sero chose to wear dark blue jeans and tennis shoes for the trial.

    "Hey, with the generous loan you''ve given me, I wanted to get myself something nice."

    Amaya rolled her eyes.

    "Fine, whatever. It''s not my trial," She pushed past him and walked towards the association building. "Come on, let''s get you tested."

    Sero hurried behind her, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

    "So," Amaya continued as they entered the building and headed off a long corridor. "I''ve been meaning to ask you yesterday while you were in the infirmary¨C Why did you lie about your class to Raul?"

    "Well, it''s not like I wanted to hide it or anything," Sero made a face. "I figured if word got out that my class was unique, I''d get bombarded with requests from guilds wanting me to join. So, I wanted to wait until I got promoted to A-rank and start working as a mercenary."

    "Hmm." Amaya slowed her steps and frowned at him. "But you could just reject the offers even if people knew about your class. You don''t even know that you''d get that many offers in the first place."

    "Yeah, but that''s still too much work. I want to stay out of the spotlight for as long as possible."

    "So you can swoop in and show off to the world once you gain an absurd amount of skills?"

    "No, so I can live a lazy life full of money and women."

    Amaya stopped in her tracks and glared at him. She opened her mouth to say something, then decided against it.

    "I shouldn''t have expected anything else, really." She sighed and continued walking.

    "Glad that you''re getting used to it," Sero grinned. "By the way, I''ve been wondering this myself. Why is it that the world isn''t as... chaotic as it should be?"

    "What do you mean?" Amaya gave him a quick and curious glance.

    "Well, I''m pretty familiar with stories of monster invasions and whatnot so... I''m just wondering why the world isn''t in disarray."

    Amaya snorted. She took a double take upon seeing the genuine look of concern on Sero''s face.

    "Oh, you''re serious. Well, I mean, S-rank Ascendants popped up pretty quickly, so they were there to take the brunt of the harder monster outbreaks. And contrary to a lot of stories you''ve probably read, most of the S-ranks genuinely want to protect the world. Well, not without something in return, of course, but the world is mostly safe because of them and the cooperation between guilds and the world governments."

    She paused for a moment, frowning slightly as she considered his question further. "I think most people just accept it as the way things are. They know the world could be much worse, and that the heroes keep it from falling into complete chaos. As for why there aren''t more monster outbreaks... well, it''s not like the world''s monster population is shrinking. It''s just that the S-ranks are so powerful now that they can keep most of them under control."

    "Oh."

    They walked the rest of the way in silence until the pair reached the trial room. The room resembled a waiting area, with a couple of chairs and a pretty older woman sitting behind a reception desk. Behind her were several doors, each marked with a white letter ascending from D to A.

    "Hi, I¡¯m Sero. I¡¯m here to take the A-rank trial." He said suavely as he stepped up to the receptionist.

    "Mhm. You¡¯re a little late, but thankfully there isn¡¯t another appointment until a half-hour from now." The receptionist made a face and jerked her head over to the doors.

    "Well... good luck in there. Hope you manage to beat yourself." Amaya sent him off with a solemn thumbs up.

    "Thanks." Sero entered the door marked with the letter A.

    The room was large and dimly lit, with a circular arena in the center. A single row of wooden bleachers surrounded the arena, and Sero could see a few people sitting on them, watching him expectantly. He took a deep breath and focused his energy, readying himself for the battle ahead.

    "Hello. Are you Sero Kassel, here to take your A-rank trial as requested by Liaison Amaya?" A smart-looking man with glasses and neatly combed hair approached him.

    "Yes, that''s me." Sero nodded.

    "Perfect. I will now brief you on the details of the trial."

    Sero¡¯s eyes began to glaze over as the trial administrator explained what he had to do.

    "You should pay attention," Aphiel scolded in his mind. "This could really help you."

    Sero inwardly groaned, but nevertheless tried to pay attention. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    "So, please try your best," The trial administrator finished. "The A-rank trial is understandably difficult, so don¡¯t get discouraged if you don¡¯t pass it the first time. The people sitting in the bleachers will also spectate your performance and your results will be averaged once your trial is deemed complete."

    "Right," Sero gave a half-grin. "Thanks."

    The trial administrator nodded and left Sero in the middle of the arena.

    "The trial will begin now. You will be transported to an artificial personal space."

    Sero took a deep breath as a white light enveloped him.

    When the light faded, he found himself standing in a familiar-looking clearing. The sun was setting over the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the trees. A small brook babbled nearby, and the air smelled of flowers and freshly cut grass.

    "Oh, this is nice¡ª"

    "Hey, there."

    Sero whirled around to find a man that strangely resembled him, though his entire body was monochromatic, like a black and white photo.

    "You must be my copy." Sero remarked, looking at his clone with a frown.

    "If I¡¯m your copy, then damn, we¡¯re ugly." The copy grimaced.

    Sero ignored Aphiel¡¯s laughter in his mind.

    Clasping his hands together, Sero conjured his mana sword and assumed an offensive stance. The Sero copy took notice and quickly did the same.

    "So¡­ you think you can beat me?" The Sero copy smirked at the original.

    "I¡¯ve been beating myself for years." Sero replied, much to the disgust of Aphiel.

    The two began to fight, swords clashing against each other and green mana flying through the air. Sero found himself slightly impressed at the way the two of them seemed evenly matched.

    True to his predictions, as soon as Sero activated his Perfect Analysis, he learned that the copy was also using the skill, rendering them both unable to find and exploit weaknesses. Even as Sero mixed up the techniques he copied from Amaya and Raul, the monochromatic doppelganger easily mimicked his movements.

    "Shit," Sero muttered as he barely managed to dodge an exploding mana dagger. "How exactly do I beat myself?"

    He fired off mana railguns in retaliation, only for the copy to simply dissolve into darkness via Shadow Sneak.

    The Sero copy quickly rematerialized in front of the original and swung his sword down. Sero barely raised his own blade in time and blocked the slash as sparks flew from the clash.

    The copy held his palm to Sero¡¯s face and shot a mana nuke point-blank. Sero yelped and managed to dissolve into darkness to avoid the direct hit. He created some distance and rematerialized again, raising his blade for another onslaught as he sent back a mana nuke of his own.

    "You can do it, champion!" Aphiel tried to encourage him.

    "Not helping." Sero thought back.

    The two continued their duel, exchanging blows and counters. The more they fought, the more they realized that they were in fact two sides of the same coin. Sero began to feel a strange connection with his copy, despite the weirdness of the situation.

    "What if you tried a feint?" Aphiel chimed again.

    "I¡¯ve done that already," Sero grumbled. "He won¡¯t fall for anything I wouldn¡¯t."

    "Then what would you fall for?" Aphiel continued, nearly causing him to take another mana nuke to the face.

    "I don¡¯t know- stop distracting me!" Sero snapped, haphazardly jabbing the copy who dodged it with ease. Sero leapt back towards the brook, trying to gain a moment of relief. He made sure his energy and mana efficiency were running simultaneously.

    "I¡¯m only trying to help!" The goddess replied meekly.

    "You can help by staying quiet¨C" Suddenly, Sero paused for a moment as he suddenly realized something.

    The Sero copy noticed the hesitation and looked at him curiously.

    "Hey." Sero lowered his sword and released his concentration on energy and mana efficiency.

    "¡­What?" The copy studied him warily.

    "Are you able to hear Aphiel?"

    The Sero copy blinked in surprise.

    "Now that you mention it¡­ I don¡¯t."

    The quiet rush of the small brook became noticeable.

    "Is it¡­ peaceful?" Sero asked his doppelganger.

    "Yeah. It is." The copy lowered his own blade.

    "You¡¯re lucky."

    "I realize that now. And I¡¯m sorry for you."

    Aphiel was speechless as she watched the pair suddenly bond over what seemed like their grievances of her.

    The copy and the original Sero stood side by side, looking out over the brook. The grass beneath their feet was a soft, springy carpet that seemed to cushion their weight. The sun cast a warm, golden light upon them, making the Sero copy¡¯s monochromatic body appear almost ethereal. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it the sweet scent of flowers and the earthy musk of the forest.

    "Can you hear her now?" The copy broke the peaceful quiet.

    "No, she stopped talking. I think she¡¯s shocked by us."

    "Good. I can only imagine what¡¯s going through her head now. Like, her having to deal with both of us?" The copy snickered.

    Sero joined in with a chuckle. "Yeah, she¡¯d be so stressed." He turned to his copy.

    "You know, under different circumstances and maybe another life, I feel like we would¡¯ve been best friends."

    The copy grinned at him with a monochromatic smile. "Well, yeah. We¡¯re the same person."

    Sero returned the smile, but a sudden evil gleam flashed in his eyes.

    "If that was true, then you should¡¯ve seen this coming."

    Before the copy could react, Sero turned and fired several mana railguns into his body at point-blank range.

    The copy gasped in shock and pain, stumbling back with a look of betrayal and surprise. He clutched at his wounds, which were bleeding a white liquid.

    "You¡­ asshole¡­" Sero¡¯s copy wheezed out before falling backwards.

    "We both are." Sero grinned, watching as his copy began to dissolve into ashes.

    "Can¡¯t¡­ argue¡­ with that¡­" The copy smiled back weakly and finally disappeared.

    "...Trial complete."

    Sero felt a tug on his body and a flash of white light enveloped him. In the next moment, he found himself standing back in the arena.

    "Con-congratulations," The trial administrator walked up to Sero with a flabbergasted expression. "You have completed the A-rank trial. Head over to the front desk and they will update your rank."

    "Thanks." Sero smirked maliciously.

    As he exited the trial room, he found Amaya waiting outside, a mixture of disappointment and disbelief on her face.

    "Hey, I passed." Sero gave her a thumbs up.

    "Yeah, no, I watched the whole thing¡­ did you really just throw your Sponsor under the bus and bond with your copy?"

    "Hey, it worked, didn¡¯t it?"

    Amaya opened her mouth to say something, then shook her head.

    "In the year since all of this started, I¡¯ve never seen anything quite like what you just did. Or met anyone like you." The Ascendant Liaison stared at Sero with a pitiful expression. "I can only imagine what your goddess has gone through with you."

    Sero snorted. "Hey, I didn¡¯t choose to be selected by her," his expression softened. "But I will admit she has helped me a bit, so I guess I have to give her some credit."

    "Thanks, Aphiel. Sorry for throwing you under the bus." Sero thought to her.

    Aphiel didn¡¯t respond.

    "Hey¡­ are you mad?"

    Still no reply.

    Sero sighed, planning to apologize to her properly later. He turned to Amaya.

    "So, where do I go to update my rank?"

 Chapter 8: Post-Quiz Relief

    A wicked and gleeful sneer contorted Sero¡¯s face as he took back his Ascendant ID, the rank underneath now displaying ¡®A-rank¡¯.

    "You know, your expressions could use more work. People might think you¡¯re a villain." Amaya cringed as she stepped back from him.

    "Sure, whatever. I don¡¯t really care." Sero tried to contain his happiness to no avail as he put his ID away. "So, how do I get started with official mercenary work?"

    Amaya thought for a moment.

    "Ah, well the first thing is for you to register with the mercenary union. Similar to Ascendant registration, the mercenary union registration will enable you to officially accept job requests from other mercenary branches."

    She glanced at Sero to make sure he was paying attention.

    "Anyways," she continued after she confirmed his full focus. "To reinforce what you¡¯ve learned¡ª hopefully you¡¯ve learned something¡ª registering as an Ascendant gives you access to guilds and the mercenary union. Guilds are more team based and require members to do certain things to help further the entirety of the organization. Mercenaries are usually soloists, but can team up sometimes, and they act based on the commission pay of jobs. Mercenary branches offer jobs but often require service fees if you choose to take them."

    Sero nodded slowly, on the verge of losing track.

    "So, to put it shortly, let¡¯s get you registered as a mercenary at the union, and then you can start accepting jobs from various branches." Amaya finished quickly, sensing his waning attention.

    "Ok," Sero hesitated. "Wait, hold on."

    "Aphiel?"

    There was still no response.

    Sero made a face and glanced at Amaya.

    "How do I go to my Sponsor¡¯s personal space?"

    "Huh? Oh, you just need to think of them and sort of pray. Think along the lines of willing yourself to appear before them. What are you planning to do¡ª"

    Sero felt a tugging on his body as he traveled to Aphiel¡¯s personal space.

    He found himself standing in a dimly lit room with muted light streaming through a few small windows. The room was cluttered with books, scrolls, and various other trinkets scattered about. A single bed, covered in a patchwork quilt, was tucked into one corner, while a small desk took up another, piled high with parchment and writing utensils. A small fireplace in the opposite corner provided a warm glow and the only source of heat.

    Sero saw Aphiel hunched down in front of the fireplace. She wore a black skirt and a white shirt sleeved blouse. Her light brown hair cascaded down her back, shimmering softly under the muted light.

    "Aphiel?" Sero slowly approached the goddess.

    Her body stiffened, but she kept her back towards him.

    "What do you want?" Her voice sounded flat and emotionless.

    "Ah," Sero scratched the back of his head. "I wanted to say I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to talk about you like that."

    Aphiel stayed silent.

    "Look, I¡¯m really sorry for saying all that stuff. I shouldn¡¯t have resorted to using you," Sero sighed, not really sure if his words were getting through. "I do appreciate you helping me."

    "You¡¯re just saying that so I won¡¯t be upset." Aphiel mumbled.

    "No, really. I don¡¯t show it, but I appreciate your guidance. I wouldn¡¯t have made it this far without you."

    For a moment, Aphiel remained quiet. Then she slowly turned around, still crouched.

    Her emerald eyes were tinged red, most likely from crying. She sniffed, staring at Sero with a pout.

    "Your copy felt sorry for you because you¡¯re the only one who could hear me. And your copy is an exact replica of you, so you probably would¡¯ve felt the same in his position. You just think I¡¯m a nuisance." Her lip trembled.

    Sero found her pouting oddly cute and couldn¡¯t stop himself from feeling guilty seeing her expression.

    "W-well, I only beat him because that''s how I felt before taking the trial. But after that, my mindset changed. I¡¯m now grateful that I¡¯m the only one who can talk to you. You¡¯ve helped me a lot and I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a nuisance. Honest."

    Aphiel stared at him for a moment.

    "Really?"

    "Really."

    "Promise?"

    "Yeah," Sero scratched the back of his head. "I promise."

    The goddess sniffed again. A slow smile began to spread across her face.

    "Ok. I believe you." Aphiel beamed at him.

    Sero¡¯s guilt increased and he couldn¡¯t accept how gullible and innocent Aphiel was. There was no way anyone else could get over it that quickly.

    Aphiel wiped the rest of her tears away and sat properly on the floor, crossing her legs.

    "So anyway," Sero quickly avoided staring underneath the goddess¡¯s skirt. "I wanted to thank you again. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have known the true usage of my skills."

    Aphiel smiled. Her green eyes sparkled as she nodded. She looked up at Sero, studying him carefully.

    "You''re welcome," she said softly. "It''s been a pleasure guiding you so far, even through the rough patches. You''ve proven to be a quick learner and an incredibly determined individual. I have no doubt that you''ll continue to grow and achieve great things in the future."

    Sero swore quietly to himself. Aphiel¡¯s innocence was really adding to his conscience. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    "Uh, yeah. Thanks." He awkwardly replied and glanced around the room. "So, this is your personal space? It¡¯s¡­ cozy."

    Aphiel immediately glared at him with an accusing gaze. "Are you making fun of my room?" She frowned, tears beginning to form in her eyes again.

    "What? No, I¡¯m just noticing the size of your room. I¡¯m not teasing you or anything." Sero quickly tried to calm her down.

    Aphiel narrowed her eyes at him, but seemed to relax slightly. She glanced around the room, taking in his words. Then, the goddess huffed and crossed her arms.

    "Well... I like it. It''s not as big as some of the others, but it''s comfortable and feels like home. I''ve been in here for a very long time... since before your world was even created." She paused, a distant look in her eyes. "It''s been my sanctuary, my safe haven. I''ve met with countless mortals here, guided them, listened to their problems and concerns. This room has seen it all."

    "So¡­ if you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­ why do you not have a larger following?"

    Aphiel raised an eyebrow at Sero. "My following? You mean mortals who worship me?" She took a deep breath. "Well... it''s complicated. You see, there was a time when mortals worshiped the gods freely. They built temples and shrines, held grand festivals and ceremonies in our honor. But over time, things changed. The universe became more secular, and people began to focus on other things. They stopped believing in the gods, or at least, they believed we were no longer relevant."

    "Right¡­" Sero did find some truth to her words. He remembered how he himself wasn¡¯t as particularly big on worship and religion before the apocalypse. "So I assume that the gods with more Ascendants, er, champions have a larger following?"

    Aphiel nodded in embarrassment.

    "Compared to those gods, I¡¯m still relatively new. So that¡¯s why I¡¯m not as well-known as they are."

    "What are you the goddess of?"

    Aphiel opened her mouth and paused, caught off guard by Sero¡¯s question.

    "Oh, w-well, I¡¯m just a being with divinity. There are others like me, divine beings who don¡¯t belong to any pantheon and are grouped into a lower class. I guess you could say I¡¯m like a¡­ general type of god." Aphiel lowered her head.

    "Oh," Sero shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m glad you¡¯re my goddess."

    Aphiel smiled, her eyes glimmering with hope. "Thank you, champion. Your loyalty means a lot to me. I''ll do my best to help you in any way that I can, just like I promised." She stood up and smoothed down her skirt.

    "Yeah. Thanks." Sero nodded. Then he glanced over at her bed. "Do you actually sleep here?"

    Aphiel blushed and turned away, shyly covering her mouth with her hand. "Well, I don''t exactly need to sleep, but sometimes I just like to... rest my eyes. I can dream and everything, you know." She paused, looking back at Sero. "It''s just... comforting, having a bed. A place where I can feel safe and at peace."

    "Huh." The more Sero talked to her, the more human she seemed. He wondered if the other gods and goddesses were like Aphiel, or if she was just a special case.

    "Shouldn¡¯t you get going, champion? You received your A-rank, yes?" Aphiel seemed to be in a better mood.

    "Ah, right. Yeah, I¡¯ll be going now." Sero concentrated on going back to the real world. Aphiel smiled at him warmly and gave a small wave that he found absolutely adorable.

    "Wow¡­ I should stop being an asshole to her." He thought to himself as he imagined returning to the real world.

    In a flash of white light, he found himself back outside the trial entrance waiting room. Amaya glanced up at him from her chair, an irritated look on her face.

    "What took you so long? I was starting to get worried." She stood up, stretching her arms above her head.

    "My bad," Sero smiled wryly. "I just needed to chat with my Sponsor for a bit."

    Amaya raised an eyebrow. "How¡¯d it go?"

    Sero shrugged. "She¡¯s feeling better after I apologized."

    The Ascendant Liaison sighed and shook her head.

    "Let¡¯s go to the mercenary union and get you registered."

    <hr>

    A short while later, Sero sat in the passenger seat of a luxurious sports car as Amaya drove them to the mercenary union, on the opposite end from the Ascendants Association.

    "I hope you didn¡¯t forget." Amaya said to him as she kept her eyes on the road.

    "Forget what?"

    "To pay me back after you get situated with the mercenary union."

    "Oh."

    Sero had completely forgotten about it.

    Amaya smirked, as if she had read his thoughts.

    "Don¡¯t stress about it too much. Just pay me back whenever you can."

    "Thanks." Sero murmured as he stared out of the window.

    "Not that it¡¯s any of my business but, how¡¯d you end up so destitute?"

    A brief scowl flickered across Sero¡¯s face.

    "To put it short, a certain goddess was supposed to watch over me when the apocalypse began. I died the first day and she revived me, only I ended up a year in the future." He didn¡¯t have to imagine what Aphiel¡¯s reaction to his words just now would be.

    "Oh." Amaya didn¡¯t know how else to respond. "So that¡¯s what you meant by ¡®starting over¡¯."

    Sero grunted in agreement.

    For the rest of the car ride, the two made idle small talk until they reached the mercenary union building.

    The mercenary union building was a sprawling complex nestled between two skyscrapers, its facade a mix of sleek glass and cold stone. The architecture was designed to evoke a sense of power and security, with tall walls and heavily armed guards posted at every entrance. Even from a distance, the building exuded an aura of strength and resilience.

    Inside, it was a bustling place, filled with people of all races and backgrounds. The air was thick with the scent of money and danger, and the sounds of weapons being drawn and sheathed echoed through the hallways. Sero followed Amaya to a desk where a middle-aged man with a scarred face sat.

    "Can I help y''all?" The man drawled as the pair approached.

    "Hello, I''m Liaison Amaya from the Ascendants Association. I''m here to help Ascendant Sero register in the mercenary union."

    The man nodded and leaned back in his chair, studying Sero with a critical eye. "What''s your class, rank, and age, Ascendant Sero?"

    "Uh, Scholar class. A-rank. 22 years old."

    "Scholar class?" The man raised an eyebrow. "Never heard of it. Unique?"

    Sero nodded hesitantly.

    "Interesting. Well, all right, let''s get you registered."

    The man pulled out a ledger and flipped through a few pages until he found an empty slot for a Sero. He scribbled down Sero''s name and rank before typing the same information into a computer. He then printed out a card and handed it to him. "Congratulations, you''re now a registered member of the mercenary union. Here''s your identification badge. Make sure you always wear it or keep it on you when you''re on a job."

    Sero took the badge and looked at it. It had his name, class, rank, and a unique identification number. It wasn''t all that different from his Ascendant ID, save for the black coloring and the mercenary union tag on the back. "Thanks."

    "So, how do I get my first job?" He asked, looking up at Amaya.

    Amaya gave a wry smile.

    "Well, now that you''re a mercenary, you can look at requests here or on the website. The jobs will often be posted by mercenary branches, who''ll take a portion of the reward you''ll receive."

    She guided him over to the center, where several other mercenaries were gathered.

    The mercenary union building had a large screen mounted on the wall, displaying the latest job requests from various branches. The screen was divided into several sections: current jobs, high-priority jobs, and completed jobs. Sero scanned through the list, looking for something that suited his skill set.

    "See anything you like?" Amaya peered over his shoulders.

    "No," Sero shook his head. "Most of them aren''t hunting jobs. Which is surprising, but I guess there are mercenaries that do that for free." He thought of Nala, and wondered if she was doing work for free.

    "If you work with us, we will make sure you are paid handsomely." A deep voice suddenly rumbled behind them.

    The two spun around and were met with a towering and imposing man.

    He had streaks of gray in his neatly combed hair and a chiseled, rugged face. Despite wearing a tailored black suit, Sero could tell he was extremely muscular. His eyes were a startling purple as they bore down on Sero.

    "Who are you?" Sero asked, failing to keep the nervousness from his voice.

    "That''s... that''s Gregor Stone. He''s the S-rank leader of the Janitors mercenary branch." Amaya whispered in awe.

    "Your friend is correct," Gregor looked down at the pair in amusement. "I''ve heard so much about you, Sero Kassel. Please, tell me more about your Scholar class."

 Chapter 9: Hazardous Group Projects

    "How do you¡­ know me?" Sero asked the intimidating man warily.

    Gregor grinned.

    "I have my ways of gaining information. It takes more than just strength to lead the Janitors, you know. I had my eyes on you as soon as you took your assessment."

    He stepped closer to Sero, who stood his ground despite the overwhelming pressure he felt from the man.

    "You were able to reach A-rank in a few days when you were initially graded as an F-rank. I¡¯m curious to know how you did so."

    Sero hesitated and glanced nervously at Amaya. She nodded encouragingly.

    "Uh, my Scholar class lets me copy the skills of other Ascendants," he began slowly. "That¡¯s how I was able to pass the trial relatively easily."

    Gregor studied him for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he chuckled, a low rumbling that sounded like thunder.

    "How intriguing. I have never heard of your class before. If what you said was true, then I would love to have you join the Janitors as an exclusive contractor. Or perhaps you would like to fully join our ranks?"

    Sero hesitated, glancing at Amaya again.

    "I think it¡¯d be best if he took some time to think it over," Amaya quickly got the hint and stepped up. "Sero¡¯s still adjusting to all of this, so I hope you don¡¯t mind, Mr. Stone."

    Gregor flicked his eyes between Amaya and Sero. Then he chuckled and nodded.

    "Very well," He gave them a small smile. "My offer still stands. Come to me if you change your mind, or you if you want to talk about anything else."

    As he turned and walked away, Sero sighed with relief, realizing that he had been holding his breath.

    "Holy shit," he turned to Amaya with a bewildered look. "That guy was so intimidating."

    She smiled reassuringly.

    "He can be a bit daunting at first, but he''s actually quite fair and easy to work with once you get to know him. He''s the one who led the effort to unionize the mercenary branches, after all. And as the leader of the Janitors, he''s got a lot of influence."

    "So, he''s pretty powerful?"

    Amaya nodded. "Among all the S-ranks, he''s probably in the top 10."

    "Damn..." Sero muttered. Despite having reached A-rank himself, he found himself in awe at the gap between them and someone like Gregor. It was like looking up at a mountain, wondering if he''d ever be able to climb it. But Amaya''s words gave him hope. Maybe, just maybe, he''d be able to bridge and eventually overcome that gap.

    He glanced at Amaya again, feeling grateful for her presence. "So, what do you think?" he asked her, looking for her input on what to do next. "Should I consider his offer?"

    She made a face. "Honestly, it''s up to you. But, if you want my advice, just take it slow for now. Do some small side work at the moment and see what you like first."

    Sero nodded, considering her words. He knew that Amaya was probably right. It''d be best to take things slowly, at least at first. There was no rush in making a decision, after all. And if he ever decided to work with Gregor or even join the Janitors, he''d have plenty of time to get used to the idea.

    "Thanks, I''ll keep that in mind."

    <hr>

    After Amaya drove him back to his apartment, Sero took the chance to rest for the moment, mulling over everything that had happened.

    The A-rank trial had proven to be difficult, but Sero had managed to overcome it without relying on his strength or abilities. Then, he later found out that a big shot had been keeping an eye on him ever since he resurrected. Frankly at this point, Sero felt like things were moving rather quickly. Not that he minded.

    "Are you ok, champion?" Aphiel asked.

    "I''m fine," Sero replied, sitting up on his bed. He stretched and yawned loudly. "I was just thinking about everything that happened today," He glanced at the beaten clock on his wall. "It''s still early in the evening, but maybe I can meet up with Nala, see if she wants to do some mercenary work together."

    "You think she''d actually agree?"

    "Who knows?" Sero shrugged. "Won''t know unless I try."

    He grabbed his phone and opened up his contacts, which only had two numbers. He skipped past Amaya''s number and hit Nala''s, sending her a text. Sero flopped back on the bed after he finished, wondering if she would respond.

    To his surprise, his phone immediately buzzed. Sero sat up and quickly glanced at the screen, smirking as he read the message.

    "Sweet. She''s down to meet up."

    <hr>

    Sero sat at a nearby caf¨¦ close to the abandoned street he first met Nala. Dressed in the same clothes he wore to his A-rank trial, he entertained himself by watching pretty women pass by.

    "Champion... Can you be less lecherous? Or at least be discreet?" Aphiel complained exasperatedly as Sero was given dirty looks from the women he leered at.

    "Hey, I''m just admiring the view," Sero defended himself, taking a sip of his drink. "Anyway, there she is." He caught sight of Nala as she walked up to their table, a neutral expression on her face. She was wearing a sleeveless black top and black shorts that accentuated her curves. Her long black hair was tied back into a ponytail.

    "Hey, you look great." Sero grinned as Nala came up to him.

    "Thanks," Nala replied evenly, sitting down across from him. "You don''t look too bad yourself."

    "So, what do you say? Wanna work together on some mercenary work?" Sero asked, not wanting to waste time.

    Nala shrugged. "Sure. What did you have in mind?"

    Sero grinned. "Well, I found a nice little job off a mercenary branch¡¯s task board. Apparently, there''s a stray monster lurking within an abandoned subway station that''s been planned to undergo renovations. I was thinking we could go get rid of it and get some nice pay from it."

    "Sounds easy enough," Nala nodded. "But you know how it is. These things are never as easy as they seem. How much are they offering?"

    Sero''s smile faltered.

    "Ah, it''s only 500 gold after the commission fees..." He glanced away awkwardly. Ever since the apocalypse occurred, money had been globally converted into gold, which was abundantly found in monsters.

    "Ok. We can split it fifty-fifty." Nala simply nodded.

    "You''re not surprised by the pay?"

    She shrugged again.

    "Monster hunting isn''t very common, since there are mercenaries and guilds that do it even without the rewards. The main profits come from anticipated monster outbreaks."

    Sero gazed at her with a blank stare.

    "Recently, Ascendants with premonition abilities have been able to detect upcoming monster outbreaks to an extent," Nala began to explain as she saw the confused look on his face. "So, branches will post jobs that mercenaries can take. Those mercenaries will get their pay if they manage to harvest whatever they can from the monsters they''re able to kill from the outbreaks." If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "Oh," Sero slowly understood. "So there''s actually useful items or parts that drop from monsters. Like a game?"

    "Exactly," Nala nodded. "But, it''s not as simple as that. There''s a lot of politics and competition between the different branches. Some of them will hire people to sabotage the other teams, or pay them off to keep the monsters around for themselves. It can get pretty messy."

    "So... you''re saying there''s a chance we''ll have to fight other mercs too?" Sero raised an eyebrow.

    Nala shook her head.

    "When it comes to hunting stray monsters, there''s not much competition for it, since they''re most likely stragglers of a completed monster outbreak. That''s why the money rewards are so low for jobs like those, since there''s usually a supply of parts or items from that species."

    "Oh, ok. That explains why a lot of the jobs I saw were asking for mercenaries on standby." Sero finished his drink and stood up. "Anyways, should we get going?"

    Nala nodded and stood up as well. "Yeah, let''s go." They left the caf¨¦, heading toward the abandoned subway station where the stray monster was supposed to be lurking.

    <hr>

    The walk to the station was mostly silent, with only the occasional comment from Sero to break the silence. They both knew what they were getting into and the potential risks involved. As they approached the entrance, they could see a group of guards stationed outside, presumably there to keep people out and make sure no unauthorized personnel entered the area. They showed their IDs to the guards, who then let them pass.

    Sero raised an eyebrow as Nala put her ID away.

    "So, the requirement for this task calls for A-rank mercenaries. Does that mean you''re an A-rank too?"

    "Yes, it''s just a formality," Nala replied dismissively. "The guards probably just want to make sure we know what we''re doing."

    Sero grunted. Though he was mildly curious as to why Nala didn''t care about rankings, he wasn''t one to press for more details.

    As they walked down the stairs and into the abandoned subway, Sero used his Perfect Analysis to survey the environment.

    The subway tunnel stretched out before them, dimly lit by flickering emergency lights. The walls were coated with a layer of dust and grime, and the air was thick with the stench of mold and decay. The tracks themselves were rusted and overgrown with weeds, clearly unused for years. The ceiling high above was adorned with intricate designs, remnants of a more lavish time when the subway must have been bustling with life.

    As they continued deeper into the tunnel, the sounds of scuttling and rustling could be heard from the shadows. Sero motioned for Nala to stay close as they crept forward cautiously, their weapons drawn. The stray monster was known to lurk in the abandoned train cars, feeding on the occasional stray animal or scavenger that dared to venture too far into its lair.

    "Hold on." Nala held a hand in front of Sero and concentrated.

    Sero grunted in surprise as his body buzzed with power, realizing Nala was using a skill.

    "Oh, Detect? That''s a nice skill." he murmured as he copied it. Nala lowered her hand and crept forward, signaling Sero to follow.

    As they moved deeper into the tunnel, the sound of rustling grew louder. Suddenly, a large shape darted out from between two train cars and disappeared into the shadows. Sero and Nala exchanged glances, their hearts racing with adrenaline. The stray monster was nearby.

    Sero began to channel his energy and mana efficiency, taking the opportunity to try out the new Detect skill he copied from Nala. His senses became heightened, and he was acutely aware of a hulking mass lurking in the darkness.

    "It''s here," Nala whispered to him. "Be ready for anything." The two mercenaries crept forward, their weapons at the ready. As they rounded the corner, they came face-to-face with the stray monster. It was a massive, scaled beast with razor-sharp claws and glinting yellow eyes. Its body was coated in a layer of dirt and grime, and its breath reeked of rot.

    "Ugh. Gross." Sero wrinkled his nose at the odor.

    The monster let out a low growl, its yellow eyes fixed on the two mercenaries. It was clearly no ordinary beast; it possessed an intelligence and cunning that made it a formidable opponent. Sero and Nala exchanged a quick glance, nodding to each other in understanding.

    Sero took charge, firing mana railguns that pierced through the monster as Nala dissolved into shadows.

    The monster howled in pain, but it was clear that the two mercenaries had underestimated its resilience. Its massive form easily shrugged off the blows as it charged at Sero, swinging its claws wildly. Sero barely dodged the attack, rolling out of the way just in time. He quickly repositioned himself and fired another volley of mana railguns, scoring a direct hit on the monster''s shoulder. The impact sent the beast reeling, giving Nala the opening she needed.

    She rematerialized and launched a shower of daggers that lodged themselves deep in the monster''s chest. With a snap, the daggers exploded in a flash of purple mana.

    The monster let out a roar of pain and rage, its eyes locked on Nala. It lashed out again, but Sero was there, blocking its massive claws with his sword. He grunted as he struggled to keep the beast at bay while Nala circled around it, looking for an opening.

    "I fucked up! It''s heavier than I thought!" Sero yelled out to Nala as he fell to one knee. His arms burned with the effort of pushing against the monster''s giant claws.

    Nala took advantage of the distraction and dashed behind the beast, sinking her daggers deep into its spine and detonating them with a snap. The monster roared in pain, its claws scrabbling at the floor as it tried to regain its footing with torrents of putrid blood flowing from its gaping back. Sero seized the opportunity and lunged forward, thrusting his sword into the creature''s neck and yanking it downwards. It collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash, its yellow eyes glassy and lifeless as more blood gushed from its neck.

    "Fuck," Sero swore as he took a moment to catch his breath and cycled his energy to recover. "Would''ve gone better if I was a Tank or something."

    Nala looked at him and chuckled flatly. "Don''t worry, you did great. You''ve got plenty of skills to make up for the lack of defense."

    "Then I guess I''ll have to copy some defensive skills somewhere." Sero muttered as Nala conjured a mana knife and began to carve into the monster. "What are you doing?"

    "I think this monster is similar to the Werebeast I killed the night we first met," Nala grunted as she dug deeper into the monster, careful not to let the blood splatter on her. "So, there should be a toxic core somewhere around... Found it."

    With a triumphant gleam in her eyes, she pulled out a fist-sized mass of rotten flesh from the monster''s corpse. Within it was a spherical orb of translucent gold with black flecks swimming inside. "This should be worth quite a bit. Maybe another 300-400 gold?"

    "Oh?" An evil glint of greed flickered in Sero''s eyes. "I like the sound of that."

    "Right..." Nala shifted uncomfortably at his expression but composed herself. "It''s non-taxable, so we''d get the full price for it if we sell it."

    "Or we could take that off your hands for you." A voice suddenly called out to the two.

    They both turned around to see a tall, burly man with a scar across his face and a nasty looking sword at his hip, flanked by three of his companions.

    "Who the fuck are you guys?" Sero asked, getting the sense that things were going to escalate.

    The burly man chuckled, his expression menacing. "You really don''t know who we are, do you? We''re the ones who were supposed to get that toxic core." He gestured to his companions, who all looked like they were itching for a fight. "And we''re not leaving without it."

    "I think they might be Vultures..." Nala murmured to Sero. "Mercenaries who tag behind others and steal the rewards after the hard work is done."

    "Hey, that sounds like someone I know." Aphiel piped up.

    "I''ll give you guys till the count of three to leave." Sero ignored Aphiel as he warned the mercenary Vultures. Memories of his past began to surface, and Sero could feel a rising anger well up within him.

    "Oh, you''re going to make us fight, are you?" The burly man sneered, stepping forward. "You''re not in much of a position to make demands, kid."

    Nala stepped up beside Sero, mana knives already in her hands.

    "This might not be the best idea, but I''ll fight alongside you, Sero."

    "What? No, I''m going to nuke this place." Sero had a sadistic glee in his eyes as he glanced at Nala.

    "Wait, what?" Nala looked confused, but stayed close to him.

    "Did I stutter? I said I''m going to nuke the fuck out of this place," Sero grinned maliciously. "An old subway station happens to collapse because some mercenaries were hunting a monster? No one would think twice."

    Nala glanced around, her eyes widening. "You''re not serious?"

    "Unfortunately, he is." Aphiel lamented in Sero''s thoughts.

    "Just take the toxic core and get out of here. I''ll follow you soon." Sero turned back to the Vultures with an unhinged expression.

    "What the fuck?" The burly man hesitated upon seeing his face.

    Nala frowned, shaking her head. "Sero, I don''t think this is a good idea¨C"

    "Go!" Sero shouted as he haphazardly began firing mana nukes everywhere.

    Nala shrieked and dissolved into shadows, taking the toxic core with her as she flew back to the entrance.

    The burly man and his companions shouted in confusion, dodging most of the mana nukes as they exploded all around the abandoned subway station.

    "What the hell is this kid doing?" one of the Vultures shouted, ducking behind a metal beam for cover.

    "Letting off some steam." Sero cackled as he kept up his onslaught, lighting the entire subway green. He was careful not to let the power of his nukes out of hand.

    Gradually, Sero began to feel his initial rage dissipate, and he soon ceased his destruction. He let out a cathartic sigh and surveyed his handiwork.

    The abandoned subway station was reduced to rubble, with only a few beams of twisted metal and concrete remaining standing. A crater now marked the spot where the monster''s corpse had lain, and a thick cloud of dust hung in the air, obscuring everything. The mercenary Vultures were strewn about on the ground, badly wounded, but not dead.

    Sero saw the burly man bleeding profusely on the ground and a menacing smirk bloomed across his face as he slowly walked towards him.

    "Vultures, huh?" He stood over and gazed down at the man with contempt.

    The burly man spat blood at him and snarled, "Fuck you, kid. We''ll be back for this."

    Sero knelt down with a blank expression. The burly man suddenly shivered with fear as he stared into his eyes.

    "Please, do come back. I could always use more target practice." Sero whispered quietly.

    The burly man''s face paled as he struggled to speak. "You... You''re insane."

    Sero chuckled creepily as he stood up and began to walk away.

 Chapter 10: Hope the Project Submission Goes Well

    Nala was waiting for him at the entrance of the subway station, a concerned look on her face. A few of the guards from before had rushed in, but Sero avoided detection using Shadow Sneak. It helped that night had fallen, making him virtually impossible to see.

    ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± Nala hissed at him as he solidified. ¡°What could have possibly made you think, ¡®Hey, blowing up this place is a good idea¡¯?¡±

    Sero shrugged and gave a lopsided grin. ¡°I¡¯ve seen bullies like those. They won¡¯t stop unless you give them a reason to.¡±

    "What if they come back and find you?" Nala whispered, looking worried.

    "Then let them," Sero wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I got no problem throwing hands if need be."

    "You didn''t... kill any of them did you?"

    "Nah," Sero shook his head. "But I will if they come after me again."

    Nala stared at him long and hard, trying to determine if he was serious. She shook her head and sighed.

    "Let''s just claim the reward and sell the toxic core."

    She walked off in the direction of the mercenary union, Sero trailing behind.

    "So, what are you planning to do with your half of the gold?" He asked as they crossed the street.

    "Save it, I guess." Nala shrugged. "I''m not very materialistic, so I rarely buy anything for myself."

    "Huh," Sero mused. "I''m gonna buy myself some new clothes."

    "What about your debt to Amaya?" Aphiel spoke up.

    "Hey, she said I could pay her back any time. Why shouldn''t I indulge myself first?" Sero grinned to himself.

    "That''s nice." Nala replied quietly.

    "What are you planning to do after this?" Sero continued, trying to make small talk.

    "Why are you interested?"

    "I''m just wondering what you do," Sero gave her a curious look. "I assume you just sleep during the day and do stuff at night. Like a vampire or something."

    Nala smiled softly for the second time.

    "Usually I just do small tasks here and there during the day. Then I hunt stray monsters at night. You?"

    "Oh, I''m still trying to figure out a schedule. I''m still new to all this since the apocalypse happened. Well, since I revived a few days ago."

    "Huh?" Nala stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him.

    "I died on the first day of the apocalypse and my goddess- sorry, Sponsor, revived me." Sero casually explained.

    The Shadowreaper continued to stare at him blankly.

    "It''s a long story."

    "I''ve got time." Nala shrugged.

    For the rest of the way back, Sero recalled everything he had been through the last few days to Nala from when he died and was resurrected by Aphiel to his struggles during the A-rank trial.

    "...And that pretty much explains why I have very limited knowledge of the world today." Sero finished as they began to see the outline of the mercenary union building.

    "Huh," Nala said, her expression unreadable. "That''s quite the story. I never really understood what it''s like to die and come back to life. I guess it''s like being born all over again, huh?"Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Uh, not really?" Sero scratched the back of his head. "For me, it was just a blink and bam, I''m back here. Memories still intact and everything."

    "Oh." Nala seemed disappointed, but Sero couldn''t tell for sure.

    The two reached the mercenary union and walked inside, heading to the left of the front desk to the commission''s office.

    "So, you were saying about your tasks?" Sero prompted as they entered the office and waited in line.

    "It''s nothing, really. Sometimes I''ll do menial tasks like volunteering for charity work or helping out at the orphanage."

    "Oh. That''s... not what I expected."

    "What did you expect?" Nala asked with a small smile.

    "I don''t know," Sero shrugged. "A mercenary of your class and rank feels like they should be doing more dangerous work, like spying or infiltration or something."

    Nala let out a soft laugh.

    "Spying and infiltration? There''s not really a need for that. Yeah, maybe some guilds and parts of the world government might be shady, but it''s not like there''s a global threat that needs to be monitored."

    The pair finally reached the front of the line.

    "Yes, how may I help you today?" The middle-aged receptionist asked, her tone polite.

    "I''m here to report the subway monster task," Sero began. "We also harvested a toxic core to sell."

    "Ah, yes, the A-rank hunting task," the receptionist replied, taking the item and logging their completion. "And for your reward, here''s the hard gold after fee deduction, per your request." She handed Sero two hefty pouches of gold coins. "Your item will be placed on the market and we will contact you after it''s been sold. Would you like hard gold or have it wired to your account?"

    "Uh," Sero hesitated. "Hard gold, please." He made a mental note to open a new bank account for digital deposits.

    "Of course," the receptionist smiled politely. "And for the shadow creature task, we will also give you a bonus based on the quality of the core you harvested." She examined the core and nodded. "This is a high-grade toxic core, so you''ll receive an extra thousand gold." She handed Nala four pouches of gold. "Thank you both for your hard work."

    "No, thank you." Sero began to salivate at the sight of the unexpected bonus gold as Nala grunted under the weight.

    As they left, Nala handed Sero a pouch.

    "Do you not have a bank account?" She grumbled.

    "Well, I had one before the apocalypse but the old ones got liquidated in favor of gold banks, so I need to open up a new one. Plus, I got revived like, a few days ago. I haven''t had time to-"

    "...Reports say that the mercenaries injured in the subway incident were known to be Vultures. An ongoing investigation is underway to find out what really happened at the scene..." Sero suddenly overheard the news on the tv screen above them and quickly turned to walk away.

    "What- hey, wait up!" Nala hurried after him with a frown. "What''s the rush?"

    "Did you not hear the tv? They''re doing an investigation at the subway." Sero hissed as he sped towards the exit.

    "Huh? So what? Even if you get caught, there''s a law that protects victims of Vultures."

    "Oh." Sero slowed his pace and looked back at Nala. "I didn''t know that¨C"

    He grunted as a figure bumped into him, causing his bags of gold to fall to the ground. Sero gasped and knelt down, frantically trying to recover his precious payment.

    "Man, watch where you''re going!" Sero snapped as he stood to confront the person he collided with.

    "Oh, Sero?"

    For a moment, Sero stood there as he realized he had bumped into Amaya.

    "Who''s this?" Nala asked as she caught up to the pair.

    "Uh," Sero composed himself. "Nala, this is Amaya, my Ascendant Liaison. Amaya, this is Nala, a mercenary I met."

    Amaya nodded and smiled warmly at Nala.

    "To clarify, I''m an Ascendant Liaison at the Ascendant Association. Sero just kind of forced me to pay special attention to him."

    "Oh, I know what you mean," Nala replied with a smile. "He recently coerced me into partnering up for a job."

    Sero coughed uncomfortably. "Anyway, Amaya, we were just about to head out. What brings you here?"

    "Oh, I''m just here to check up on my other Ascendants who registered with the mercenary union. What about you guys?"

    "Well, we just finished a hunting task." Nala answered.

    "Yeah¡­ I was going to open up a bank account and deposit this gold." Sero began to sweat nervously. He desperately hoped that Amaya wouldn''t remind him about his debt.

    "Are you going to pay me back with some of that?"

    Sero cursed under his breath then feigned a smile.

    "Y-yeah, that''s the plan. Now, if you''ll excuse us¨C"

    "Oh, why don''t I join you guys? The banks are closed anyway, so we could stop by a restaurant or something." Amaya smiled as she sided with Sero and Nala.

    Sero glanced at Nala, who seemed to be considering it. After a moment, she shrugged and fell into step beside Amaya. "Sure, why not?"

    "Since you got your reward, you can use some of your gold to pay for dinner," Amaya glanced at Sero with a mischievous smile. "I''ll take some of that off your tab."

    Sero cursed in his mind but resigned himself to go along with the two.

 Chapter 11: Semi-Date Disasters

    As they exited the mercenary union, Nala and Amaya struck up conversation between each other.

    Despite being flanked by two beautiful women, Sero couldn''t help but feel annoyed as he listened to their grievances and complaints of him.

    The night was warm, a soft breeze gently whispering through the brightly lit streets as the trio walked. People bustled about, creating a lively scene that Sero was not used to.

    The three of them stopped at a small, cozy Italian restaurant, the atmosphere warm and inviting. The aroma of delicious food filled the air, making Sero''s stomach growl in anticipation. The hostess greeted them warmly and guided them to a table outside on the patio.

    Once they sat, their waitress came over and presented them with menus. Sero could feel his health decline as he saw the hefty price tags, dreading what kind of expensive meal Amaya would want.

    But before they could order, there was an earsplitting shriek from the streets. As Sero turned around, he saw a giant portal opening in the middle of the street with a deafening crack. The inner portal was a dark gray, outlined with a fiery purple light. In an instant, Nala and Amaya leapt to their feet and vaulted over the patio railing, their weapons drawn.

    Amaya reached into her pocket and pulled out a small pager-like device, pressing a small button.

    "This is Liaison Amaya, calling in to the association headquarters," She barked into the device''s speaker. "A monster outbreak has appeared in the vicinity of the mercenary union building. Estimated D-rank to C-rank. Requesting for any available backup."

    Amaya slipped the pager back into her pocket as she crouched into a defensive stance alongside Nala in front of the portal.

    Meanwhile, Sero sat back in his chair and watched the two women prepare themselves. Their waitress had already retreated to safety, as did the other patrons in the restaurant.

    "Um, champion? Aren''t you going to join too?" Aphiel asked.

    "Nope."

    "...Any particular reason why?"

    "Don''t feel like it. Plus, I gotta keep an eye on my gold."

    Sero ignored Aphiel''s protests and continued to watch the two women. Though he did feel slightly bad for not assisting them, he figured they would be able to handle a D to C-rank monster outbreak by themselves if backup came too late. After all, Sero himself had somewhat soloed a C-rank boss monster and he had just revived.

    His thoughts soon drifted towards what kind of monsters would be coming out from the gate. Based on his previous experiences, he figured it would be animalistic, since he had been killing lobsters and wolf-like monsters.

    An eerie giggle disrupted his thoughts as a shadow zipped out of the portal. Before Sero could make out what it was, Nala had already engaged in combat with the intruder.

    "Wait a minute-"

    With his Perfect Analysis pushed to its limits, Sero managed to process what the monster was before Nala quickly blew it up with her daggers.

    "Was that a... succubus?"

    A few more shadowy figures darted out of the portal, but by then a couple of Ascendants had arrived on the scene. Amaya took charge of the scene, barking orders to the newcomers as she fought alongside Nala.

    Sero watched with awe and excitement as he mainly kept his focus on the rather seductive and scantily-clad succubi that flew out.

    Their movements were graceful and fluid, their every attack designed to distract and entice their opponents. They used their pheromones to cloud the minds of their foes, making them easier to hit and more susceptible to their attacks. Despite their alluring appearance, they were far from harmless. Nala and Amaya fought them off with a combination of skill and sheer determination, refusing to fall for their charms.

    It was a different story for some of the male Ascendants as they found their movements slowed and their minds confused. Sero took this time to look for new skills to copy as he pulled out his phone to record the battle.

    "Champion... you do realize this is a dangerous situation?" Aphiel sounded simultaneously exasperated and bewildered.

    "Yeah. I''ll be fine, though." Sero nonchalantly responded as he zoomed in on a succubus. He panned over to an Ascendant who began to charge up yellow mana around him.

    "Huh?" Sero tried to activate his Perfect Copy but found that he was unable to copy the Ascendant. He lowered his phone, staring at the man directly instead of through the screen. Sero''s body buzzed with power and his Perfect Analysis allowed him to learn that the man was a Warrior class, and the skill he was using was Iron Skin, which greatly buffed the user''s defensive attributes by hardening the skin.

    "Damn, so I can only use my abilities if it''s in person?" Sero grumbled to himself.

    "Those were some of the limitations I mentioned earlier!" Aphiel chipped in. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    "What other restrictions do I have?" He frowned, raising his phone up to resume recording.

    "Oh... well, that''s... the only one I know of."

    Sero wanted to make a snarky comment, but a succubus suddenly caught sight of him.

    "Hey, big boy. How about a little private time?" she purred, her voice dripping with seduction as she flew up to him. She suddenly flinched as she got a clear look at his face, but recovered quickly.

    "Absolutely." Sero immediately put his phone away and stood up. He chose to ignore the brief reaction the succubus had to his looks.

    "Wait, champion?!" Aphiel tried to interject.

    Sero ignored the goddess, instead focusing on the succubus. She floated closer to him, her crimson eyes locked on his. Though it was hard to see in the night, as the succubus drew closer, Sero was able to clearly make out her details under the bright streetlights. Her long, dark hair swayed gently around her, casting shadows across her flawless, pale skin. Her red lips curled into a seductive smile, revealing sharp fangs. Her lithe, sinuous body was clad in a revealing black corset and thigh-high boots.

    Without warning, she lunged forward, pressing her body against his. Her hot breath tickled his ear as she whispered, "Why don''t we find someplace more private?" Her hands began to wander, caressing his chest and shoulders, though it seemed she did so reluctantly.

    Before Sero could respond, the succubus screeched painfully in his ear, momentarily deafening him. A moment later, the succubus exploded with a shower of oddly sweet-smelling green blood, drenching Sero.

    He could only sputter as Nala suddenly materialized in front of him, a mixture of concern and slight irritation on her face.

    "Were you bewitched by the succubus?" Nala asked, studying his face carefully.

    "Oh," Sero spat out a glob of green blood. "Yeah, I was. Thanks for the save."

    "He''s lying." Amaya appeared next to them with a scowl. "There''s no sign of succubus magic on him."

    "Hmm?" Sero raised an eyebrow at her. "What do you mean?"

    "She means that succubi use magic to bewitch their victims. So, it seems like either it didn''t work on you, or the succubus didn''t use magic." Nala wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Or maybe she did use magic and you still went along with it."

    Sero opened his mouth, then closed it.

    "Oh, my god. I knew you were shameless, but not for monsters." Amaya shook her head in disgust. "We''ll discuss this later. Either help us fight the boss, or stay away." She turned and ran back into battle, rallying the other Ascendants in preparation for the boss.

    "Are you that lustful for women?" Nala asked Sero with a slight frown.

    "Well..." he began, looking away uncomfortably.

    The shouts from the other Ascendants caused Nala to shift her focus away from Sero.

    "Explain after the fight. I hope you''ll help us this time." She murmured as she left him to join the fight as well.

    "Champion..."

    "Not another word," Sero sighed to himself. "I guess I''ll have to help."

    Before he joined the fray, he made sure his bags of gold were bound together and tied to the armrests of his chair. When he was satisfied with its security, Sero turned and vaulted over the patio railing, consciously activating his mana and energy efficiency while conjuring a silver mana sword between his hands.

    By the time Sero closed the short distance to the battle, most of the succubi had already been wiped out, allowing the defending Ascendants to close around the portal.

    "Nice of you to join us." Nala quietly remarked to him as he slinked up next to her. Sero couldn''t tell if she was being sarcastic or not. His Perfect Analysis scanned the other Ascendants, counting 2 Warriors and 3 Healers.

    "Everyone, be on your guard!" Amaya shouted as she vaporized a stray succubus with a blue mass of fiery mana. "The boss might emerge at any second!"

    "Champion, I hope you don''t get ''bewitched'' by this one, too." Aphiel said with a wary tone.

    "You know what? I just might if it''s the boss of all succubi." Sero shamelessly thought back.

    Aphiel went quiet, much to Sero''s relief and amusement.

    A large shadowy mass suddenly burst out from the portal. Amaya quickly barked out orders, organizing the Ascendants into formation.

    As the shadow flew high up into the air, Sero was able to get a clear view of the succubus boss underneath the moonlight.

    It was a stunning creature, easily the most beautiful being he''d ever laid eyes upon. Her skin was an ethereal shade of midnight blue, smooth as silk, and seemed to shift and flow with an inner glow. Her hair was a waterfall of pure black, cascading down her back in waves that seemed to defy gravity. Her eyes were the color of the deepest oceans, bottomless pits of desire and seduction. Her slender azure tail swished around hypnotically.

    "Champion!"

    Sero blinked and shook himself out of his stupor. He glanced around, seeing the other Ascendants momentarily stunned as well.

    "What a beautiful night," The succubus queen purred, her voice soothing but sinister as she descended. "The perfect time for some fun."

    The succubus queen''s gaze scanned the Ascendants and fell upon Sero. He could''ve sworn that for a brief moment, she recoiled from the sight of him.

    "You," she hissed, her voice like the caress of cold iron. "You''re not like the others. A little on the dull side." Her sapphire eyes narrowed as she focused on him once more. "You resisted my sisters. Perhaps you''ll prove a worthy conquest, despite your looks."

    "I''m sorry, what¨C"

    Sero''s reply was cut short as a wave of desire crashed over him, making his heart race and his skin tingle. He felt himself struggling to maintain control as his gaze remained locked on the succubus queen. He could feel her presence, her essence, wrapping itself around him like a warm, seductive blanket.

    However, just as quickly as it came, the intense desire he felt vanished. Sero blinked in surprise as did the succubus queen.

    "How did you break out? Was your appearance able to disperse the magic?" The queen whispered, slightly agitated.

    "Now''s our chance! Attack!" Amaya took charge of the succubus''s confusion as she fired blue mana bolts at the queen. The rest of the Ascendants followed suit, leaving Sero to process what had just happened.

    "Am I... ugly?" He wondered dejectedly.

    "Champion, that''s not important right now! Focus your efforts on the battle!" Aphiel jolted Sero out of his self-pity.

    "Ugh, fine." Sero grumbled as he ran up to join the Ascendants in fighting the succubus queen.

 Chapter 12: The Date Didnâ€™t Go That Badly

    Even though he was disheartened, Sero managed to push aside his pride and help the Ascendants fight against the succubus queen.

    The queen had summoned more minions to combat the army as she flew around, lashing out with sharp claws. Sero tried his best not to actually kill any of the succubi as he surveyed the battle, looking for more skills to copy.

    He managed to copy Recovery and Inspiration, two Healer class skills before he found himself fending off two succubi.

    Cursing as one of them slashed his left arm, Sero used Recovery to heal himself then Iron Skin to fortify his body.

    "Sero! Are you actually killing them?" Nala blew up one of the succubi Sero was fighting and stared at him with a slight annoyance.

    "Uh, yeah, I am!" Sero lied as he locked onto the remaining succubus heading towards them and fired a mana nuke in her direction. The succubus''s scream was cut short from the explosion as Sero made his first kill.

    Nala shot him a suspicious glance before jumping back into the fray. Sero sighed and turned his attention towards the boss.

    Amaya and a blonde male Warrior were locked in combat against the succubus boss, with another dark-haired male Healer supporting them from a safe distance.

    The succubus queen was quick and agile, easily dodging their attacks. She hissed in annoyance as she slashed at Amaya, who parried each blow with her sword. The Warrior was doing his best to keep her attention, but he was quickly tiring.

    "I think they could really use your help!" Aphiel urged Sero, who grimaced at the thought.

    He cycled his energy and mana, making sure he had enough in his reserves before making a beeline towards the succubus boss.

    As Sero caught up, the Healer looked relieved and gestured for him to join the fight. The succubus queen growled, sensing another threat. Amaya nodded gratefully at Sero, her expression serious as she focused on the queen.

    "I''ll create an opening for you and Jackson to attack!" Amaya shouted to him and the Warrior next to him as she engulfed her sword in blue mana. She fired off blue fireballs at the succubus as she flashed around, swinging her blade in between the blazing shots.

    "I''ve got your back." The Warrior named Jackson glanced at Sero with a handsome face and nodded reassuringly. Sero had to stop himself from recoiling in annoyance and smiled back awkwardly.

    As Amaya''s barrage continued, Sero took this opportunity to cast Recovery on both of them. He then used Inspiration to buff their attack and defense stats. Once they were both ready, he cast Shadow Sneak on himself and dashed forward, appearing behind the succubus queen. With a swift motion, he sliced at her tail, causing her to cry out in pain.

    "Pathetic pest!" The queen spat, slamming her lightly wounded tail into Sero. He could feel the air wheeze out of his lungs as he was knocked away. After he stopped tumbling, Sero took a moment to get his bearings, swear again, and scrambled to his feet with a wince. He was thankful he had activated Iron Skin before fighting, or he might''ve suffered more than just a bruise to his side.

    "Are you ok?" Nala suddenly materialized next to him, looking concerned. Though the moonlight was bright alongside the street lamps, it wasn''t enough to see clearly, but Sero swore there was an amused smile on her face.

    "I''m fantastic." Sero growled back. Nala shrugged and dashed forward to help Amaya continue her assault by throwing exploding knives at the succubus queen.

    His body buzzed with power as Sero activated Perfect Analysis, searching for any weaknesses or a pattern he could exploit to kill the succubus queen.

    Nala''s throwing knives struck the succubus, causing her to stagger. The Warrior, Jackson, dashed forward and delivered a powerful downward slash that sent the queen flying back with a flash of orange light. Amaya followed up with a flurry of mana bolts and slashes, her blue-tinged sword glowing brighter and brighter with each impact. Sero saw his opening and dashed forward, using Shadow Sneak once more to appear behind the succubus. He swung his sword with all his might, cutting deeply into her flesh.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    The succubus queen shrieked in agony, but Sero didn''t let up, placing his palm directly on her rather smooth and soft back. He took a moment to indulge in the feeling of her back before strengthening his resolve. Green mana swirled around his hand as he charged up a mana nuke and let loose, firing it directly into the succubus queen''s vulnerable back.

    "Wait, shit¨C" Sero''s words were cut off as his nuke exploded with such force that he was launched backwards, his ears deafened from the shockwave. As he flew through the air, he realized that he should''ve probably fired the nuke from a safer distance. Sero finally hit the asphalt, hard, and tumbled to a stop on his back. Painfully, he turned his head towards the boss monster.

    The succubus queen collapsed to the ground, a gaping hole where her chest used to be, her body steaming as it dissipated into a cloud of purple mist. There was a moment of silence before Amaya, Nala, and Jackson turned to face Sero, their expressions ranging from shock to annoyance. Sero groaned and rubbed his ears, trying to hear again.

    He was dimly aware of the other Ascendants shouting as they hunted down the stray succubi who were now in disarray. Sero released his energy and mana efficiency as well as his Iron Skin.

    "Champion, are you ok?" Aphiel sounded worried. Sero was surprised at how clear she was, though it made sense due to her telepathically communicating with him.

    "Ask me again when I can hear properly." Sero winced as he sat up and casted Recovery on himself.

    "What? But I¡¯m speaking directly into your¨C"

    "Ugh, Sero, you could''ve warned us you were going to do that! We almost got caught in the explosion!" Amaya shouted from across the street, glaring at him.

    "What''d you say?" Sero squinted his eyes at her. His Recovery was still working on him.

    "You could''ve- oh, never mind." Amaya frowned as she came up to him. "You ok?"

    "Yeah," Sero made a face as he got up and stretched, his hearing normal again. Though it was a shame his bomber jacket had a large tear, his cut on his arm was completely healed. The rest of his outfit was splattered with sweet-smelling green blood. "Just caught off guard."

    "Amazing," Jackson marveled at Sero as he joined the two. "You wield a sword really well, and your magic is powerful. What class are you?"

    "I''m a Healer." Sero replied and pushed past him, leaving Jackson confused without any further explanations.

    He ignored the other Ascendants who were either harvesting items from the slain succubi or checking on the regular civilians, opting to walk directly to the Italian restaurant. The portal had begun to shrink and he could see Nala standing before it, making sure it closed.

    When he arrived at the restaurant, Sero immediately checked the seat he previously sat in.

    "No. No fucking way."

    He stared at his mangled seat, a mixture of anger, depression, and disbelief washing over him. There was only one bag of gold intact. The other two bags had been ripped to shreds by what seemed like claw marks, and a few gold coins were strewn around his seat. To Sero, it looked like a succubus had stolen the gold from two of his bags.

    "Oh. Well, at least you still have one bag left." Nala materialized beside him with a consoling look.

    "I''m gonna... I''m gonna hunt the succubus that stole my shit." Sero growled as he conjured his mana blade. His anger began to boil over, but then he paused, turning to look at Nala.

    "Wait, what happened to your gold?"

    Nala smiled softly, and with a flick of her hand, a small shadowy mass of purple appeared next to her. As Sero''s body buzzed with power, she reached inside the purple mass and pulled out a bag of gold.

    "I have a skill called Shadow Shift. It allows me to store anything within my shadow. It''s pretty neat, because it''s like a portable safe and basically weightless. I put them in there before we got to this restaurant."

    "I really could''ve used it earlier," Sero scowled as his sword dissipated. "Why didn''t you show me that skill?"

    "Sorry. Didn''t think you needed it." Nala bowed her head apologetically, but Sero caught the mischievous gleam in her eyes.

    "I think she just wanted to watch you lug around those bags of gold. Well, I guess just one bag, now."

    "Yeah, no shit." Sero was about to snap at Nala too, but then Amaya approached them.

    "Before we talk about earlier, I''ll cut you a deal," Amaya slipped by Sero and Nala towards the mangled chair. She knelt down and picked up the intact bag of gold and looked back at Sero with a grin. "I''ll forgive half your debt, and take this bag of gold. How''s that sound?"

    Sero opened his mouth and hesitated.

    "That''s... that''s fine." It took all of his strength not to cry.

    "Thanks." Amaya''s smile faded. "Now, about what happened earlier..."

 Chapter 13: Dead Week

    The drive to Sero¡¯s apartment was quiet as Sero zoned out looking through the window. Before getting in the backseat of her car, Amaya had blasted Sero with a cold torrent of water to wash off the blood, then seared his skin with blue flames to dry him off.

    Although it was understandable that Amaya didn''t want Sero to get her seats dirty, he couldn''t help but feel like she rather enjoyed tormenting him with the harsh cleaning. At least he was able to copy the Water Blast and Fire Blast skills she used.

    Strangely, Nala decided to tag along as well, sitting in the front seat as she counted her gold. Despite being robbed, Sero managed to scavenge a few coins, slipping them in his newly acquired Shadow Shift.

    As they pulled up to his apartment, Amaya found a spot in front and parked, turning back to face Sero. Her face was out of reach from the moonlight, making it hard for him to see her expression.

    "So, before I drop you off and go write a report on the outbreak, let''s hear what you have to say. Why''d you refuse to participate in the fight? I can understand having a weakness for women- well, it''s a little different for you, but those were succubi. Monsters."

    Sero hesitated. "Well, it''s... complicated. I was actually in a rush. You see, I had a quest to... um..."

    He faltered when Nala also turned around to look at him.

    "Ah, fine," Sero cleared his throat. His face and ears were burning with embarrassment. "To be honest, I''ve never... had a girlfriend before."

    There was a brief silence as the words hung in the air. Sero stared at his hands, unable to meet Amaya''s gaze. He felt Nala''s eyes on him, but he didn''t dare look at her. Finally, Amaya let out a soft sigh.

    "Yeah, I figured. It''d make sense for women, but thirsting after succubi? Really?"

    "Hey, I don''t discriminate." Sero held up his hands defensively as he looked at the both of them.

    "You''re actually doubling down?" Aphiel interjected incredulously.

    For a moment, the women were quiet. Then, Nala shrugged and turned back around to the front.

    "I think there''s something wrong with you," Nala''s tone was emotionless. "But, you don''t seem to be dangerous. Desperate, yes, but not threatening. I accept you for who you are."

    "Oh... thanks? I guess?" Sero glanced quizzically at Amaya.

    The Ascendant Liaison shook her head in disappointment. "While what Nala said is somewhat true... Sero, you need to do something about that behavior of yours."

    "I''ll try, but no guarantees."

    Amaya''s blue eyes pierced through him with a judgmental gaze before she turned back around.

    "Well, it''s none of my business. Just try not to act on your urges sometimes. Imagine what could''ve gone wrong had the succubi been B-rank or higher."

    "Right... I''ll be more mindful next time." Sero replied sheepishly as he opened the car door and stepped out. He turned back around. "Hey Nala, what are you planning to do?"

    "I''m grabbing a drink with Amaya after she finishes her report." The Shadereaper said as if it was obvious.

    "Oh, ok." Sero shut the car door but then did a double take. "Wait, when the fuck did you guys plan that?"

    "We talked about it in the car. We knew you weren''t listening." Amaya rolled her window down and smirked at him. "See you later."

    "Wait, can I come-"

    Amaya had already pulled out and drove away, leaving Sero to watch them depart.

    With a sigh, he trudged back up to his apartment. After he cleaned himself up, Sero laid on his bed and stared up at his ceiling.

    "Hey, Aphiel?"

    "Yes, champion?"

    "I''m not that ugly, right?"

    Aphiel went silent.

    "I mean, I know I''m not particularly handsome or anything, but I can''t be that ugly to the point where succubi are turned off by me."

    "Well," Aphiel began hesitantly. "Succubi also see personality in tandem with physical appearances. So, maybe it''s not just your looks, but... also your personality...? To be honest, I¡¯m not really sure why their charms didn¡¯t work. Even someone with a face like yours should still be affected."

    Sero grunted disapprovingly. "Whatever."

    He rolled over onto his side and shut his eyes, forcing himself to sleep.

    <hr>

    Over the next few days, Sero took on various mercenary jobs with Nala which included hunting stray monsters, standing in for security, or charity work. Amaya occasionally tagged along, though she joined more so to spend time with Nala afterwards rather than Sero.

    He didn''t mind, in fact, it helped distract her from reminding Sero of the debt that he owed her. Besides volunteering for free, which was Nala''s idea, Sero steadily saved gold from the other jobs he took and finally opened up a bank account. Still, even though his income gradually became stable, Sero still kept an eye out for any stray succubi.

    The day was warm and sunny as Sero entered the mercenary union building, dropped off by a taxi. The bustling and clamoring of the other mercenaries that had intimidated him before was now a routine ambient noise as Sero strode up to the task boards where Nala was already standing in front of.

    Next to her stood a very tall and muscular man in a black suit, with streaks of gray hair. Sero couldn''t help but feel as if he had seen that man before.

    "Hey, Nala." Sero casually greeted her as he walked up to the pair. He suddenly froze when the pair turned to face him.

    "Ah, we meet again." Gregor Stone grinned when he recognized Sero. "You''ve already met my daughter?"

    "What?" Sero''s mind went blank as he shifted his gaze between Nala and Gregor. He noticed that they shared the same violet eyes and honey brown complexion. "You''re... you guys are related?"

    "Yeah," Nala nodded matter-of-factly. "Did I not tell you?"

    "No!" Sero exclaimed. "You pretty much never tell me anything important."

    Gregor chuckled, reminding Sero of thunder before a storm. "Ah, please excuse her," he placed an affectionate hand on Nala''s head. "She''s always had a habit of keeping stuff to herself if there''s no need to share it."

    "Dad," Nala grumbled, shaking off his hand. "Stop petting my head like that. I''m not a little girl anymore."If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Gregor winked at her, seemingly unperturbed. "Well, you''re still my little girl, no matter how old you get." He turned back to Sero and clapped him on the shoulder. "Anyway, I''m here on business. I heard that you''ve been doing well for yourself."

    "Oh, yeah." Sero forced himself not to wince and buckle under the weight of his hand. "I''ve been adjusting pretty quickly the last few days."

    "Is that so? Then, would you be interested in the upcoming Ascendants Tournament?"

    Gregor''s question took Sero by surprise. He glanced at Nala, who looked just as confused as he felt. At least, he thought she looked confused. "Uh, yeah, sure. Why me?"

    "Two reasons," Gregor grinned. "First, I¡¯m very interested in your growth and class. Wouldn¡¯t it be a good opportunity to test your strength against other strong Ascendants? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been aching for a challenge."

    "Not really, I like lazing around¡ª"

    "And second, if you do well, I may approve of this relationship you have with my little girl."

    "Dad! Don¡¯t say things out of context." Nala blushed and scowled at her father. Sero had to admit that it was surprisingly cute and refreshing to see her actually show her expressions.

    "Well, I do think she¡¯s pretty¡ª"

    Gregor slung an arm around Sero¡¯s neck and pulled him close. He shifted his weight as he leaned in near Sero¡¯s ear.

    "Are you telling me that my little girl isn¡¯t enough motivation to get you to participate?" He whispered as Sero struggled to withstand the weight of his arm. It felt like someone had chained two boulders together and dropped them over his shoulders.

    "With all due respect sir, I am absolutely terrified of answering your question."

    Gregor suddenly laughed and lifted his arm off of Sero, who took an involuntary gasp as relief washed over his shoulders.

    "I¡¯m kidding. Of course, I don¡¯t want you to feel pressured about participating. And obviously, my little girl is old enough to make her own decisions-"

    "Dad, please stop."

    "But, I digress. Sero, I''m sure you''d find participating to be a worthwhile experience. Come to me when you register for the tournament, and I''ll explain more. I¡¯ll see you later, sweetheart." The leader of the Janitors gave Nala a kiss on the forehead to which she recoiled, then turned and walked away.

    "Wait, ¡®when¡¯ I register? What does that mean?" Sero called out, but Gregor seemed to not have heard him. Or he did, but chose to ignore him.

    He turned to Nala with a baffled expression. "What the hell was that?"

    "Well, he does have a point. You would benefit from joining the tournament." Nala seemed to have regained her indifferent composure as she wiped at her forehead. "Aren¡¯t you obsessed with copying skills?"

    "Yeah, but not when I¡¯m fighting. I¡¯d rather sit down and copy from afar."

    "Aren¡¯t you curious to see how you¡¯ll match up against other Ascendants?"

    "Absolutely not. I like it better when I don¡¯t get beat up, thanks."

    Nala made a face. "You¡¯re¡­ really something."

    "Thanks," Sero gave a half-grin. "Now, are we gonna do this hunting job or what?"

    <hr>

    The hunt went relatively smoothly as the pair cleared out an abandoned warehouse near the union that was infested with monstrous rats. Though the pay was low and the task menial, Sero didn¡¯t mind as it gave him some time to think about Gregor¡¯s words.

    "I also think it¡¯d be a good opportunity for you," Aphiel mused. "You¡¯ve been growing quickly, and you¡¯ve started to plateau. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to gain more experience along with new skills?"

    "Yeah, but here¡¯s the thing," Sero walked alongside Nala as they headed back to the mercenary union after harvesting pelts from the monsters. "Say I do join the tournament, and I try my best and do well. I¡¯ve read enough stories to know that something will happen, and it won¡¯t be good."

    "What do you mean by that?"

    "Not that I have an inflated ego or anything, but, come on. I¡¯m an Ascendant who resurrected a year into the future with a unique class and already grew this much. I¡¯ve got a big shot who¡¯s taken an interest in me and suddenly wants to see me take part in competing against what I assume to be well-known and very strong Ascendants. Something is bound to happen."

    Aphiel snorted. "You really think something will happen because of your existence?"

    "Oh, I know something will happen because of my existence." Sero grinned to himself as he and Nala entered the mercenary union. "In fact, I¡¯m hoping it does. I just pray I don¡¯t have to do anything when it comes."

    "So, you have an inflated ego and a wild imagination. You believe that your existence affects the world in the power fantasy you¡¯ve created for yourself. But you don¡¯t want to put in any effort in the event that whatever results from you does occur. Right?"

    "You got it."

    "Champion, I don¡¯t know whether to be impressed or concerned by your confidence in this."

    Sero chuckled to himself as he approached the front desk to confirm the hunting task. As the receptionist logged the confirmation and sent the monetary reward to him and Nala, someone tapped on his shoulders.

    He turned around to see Amaya, dressed in her usual liaison attire.

    "Oh, hey. Me and Nala just finished, so you can steal her away from me now."

    "Actually," Amaya glanced at Nala, who was checking her phone for the deposit confirmation before she turned back to Sero. "I¡¯m here for you."

    An immediate smile flashed across Sero¡¯s face. "Ah, have you come to confess to me?"

    "I¡¯m actually going to stab you," Amaya scowled angrily. "No, I¡¯m here to talk to you about the upcoming tournament."

    "Oh?"

    "Yeah. I¡¯m assuming Gregor talked to you about it, too?"

    "What the¡ª" Sero crossed his arms and stared accusingly at Nala. "Wait, have you told her Gregor¡¯s your dad?"

    "Yeah? It was around the first time we met." Nala replied nonchalantly.

    "Sero, focus." Amaya waved a hand in front of him. "Nala, I think you should hear what I have to say too. Not here though, let¡¯s head to somewhere private."

    <hr>

    Unexpectedly, the three of them ended up at Sero¡¯s apartment.

    "This is¡­ not what I expected." Amaya gazed around his room with a slight look of awe.

    Sero had added a few additions to his cramped living space with the money he¡¯d been earning, such as a small desk and a table lamp. A candle burned softly in the corner of his desk, filling the room with a sweet and comforting scent. Sero¡¯s clothes were neatly folded and tucked away in his dresser. His bathroom had been scrubbed clean, and various pots and pans were stacked and organized atop his kitchenette.

    Sero had even upgraded his bed that Nala sat cross-legged upon, adding a comforter and soft pillows. The dingy curtains that were there when he first moved in had been replaced by sleek blackout curtains. Compared to the first night Sero spent in his apartment, it was now unrecognizable and cozy.

    "Why? You think I''d be more sloppy?" Sero frowned as he pulled out the chair from his desk and sat backwards on it.

    "No, just... well, kind of." Amaya began to take in the cleanliness of his room and sat on the edge of his bed next to Nala.

    "I also did." The Shadereaper chimed in bluntly. "But, I like how comfy your room is."

    "Right?" Sero grinned as he leaned forward on the back of the chair. "It''s not much, but it''s perfect to lounge around in for now."

    "Anyway," Amaya became serious. "Let''s cut to the chase. Sero, we need you to participate in the tournament."

    Sero sucked in a breath through his teeth and let it out slowly.

    "Ok."

    Amaya blinked in surprise. "Wait, really? I thought you''d be more opposed, considering... well, what made you change your mind?"

    Sero''s eyes gleamed evilly. "It''s not hard to figure out that I have an important role. Having a powerful person such as Gregor as well as a beautiful liaison like you pushing this tournament on me? Something''s expected to happen, right? And it won''t happen unless I participate?"

    The Ascendant Liaison flinched. "Well, we''re hoping it doesn''t but¨C"

    Sero cackled in his thoughts, knowing his previous words were just proven right in front of Aphiel. Even though there was a very good chance he may have to put in work, Sero had already begun to plan to negotiate a hefty reward for his cooperation.

    "-The Janitors and the Special Protections division of the Ascendants Association have joined forces due to a confidential report. There has been word in the underworld that this tournament will be the catalyst towards sacrificing tributes to bring over a catastrophe."

    Sero stiffened as his thoughts derailed.

    "Wait, say that again?"

    Amaya buried her face in her hands and took a deep breath before she lifted her head to stare directly into his red eyes.

    "Sero. Because you suddenly appeared out of nowhere, no one will know who you are. That''s why we need you to participate in the tournament, because there is a good chance one of the participants is part of an organization that will kill the other participants to invoke a catastrophe." She gave him a humorless smile. "You''re our bait."

 Chapter 14: Hardcore Prepping

    "Well... technically this didn''t happen because of you." Aphiel remarked.

    "No, yeah, I got that." Sarcasm laced his thoughts. "But, this situation only happened because I''m here."

    "Truth to be told, the association and I wouldn''t have chosen you to help with this plan," Amaya chewed on the nail of her thumb. "But Gregor pushed heavily for you to be involved. Ever since the first Ascendants Tournament half a year ago, there''s been a sinister organization that call themselves ''the Culling''. They rose up when the global rankings of the S-ranks came out and began to spread terrorism worldwide to both hemispheres."

    "Ah." Sero faintly recalled learning about the changed geography of the world. Amaya had informed him that the apocalypse a year ago had drastically altered the Earth, causing the land to merge into two massive continents. The western hemisphere was where he resided, and the eastern hemisphere was a day''s flight away.

    "Through their violent and cruel slaughtering of Ascendants and non-Ascendants, the organization''s goal is to ultimately summon what they call a ''Catastrophe''. These Catastrophes were rumored to be incredibly strong beings from another world, but as of now, there are no records of these beings actually existing." Amaya looked at Sero to make sure he was paying attention. "We haven''t had too many problems with the Culling interfering in the Ascendants Tournaments or other related events, but a few weeks ago, one of our informants caught wind of a plan to somehow use the tournament participants as tributes."

    "Ok, so..." Sero held up a hand. "You want me to risk my life by joining an event that murderers might also be taking part in? Are there no other Ascendants that could do this?"

    Amaya gave a strained smile. "Legally, any division member of the Ascendants Association must declare their affiliation, so that would cause their organization to be on high alert. The Janitors can''t participate either, since that branch only has 7 members. Plus, with their low numbers, it''s much more efficient to have them on the sidelines."

    "Wait, there''s only 7?" Sero glanced at Nala, who shook her head.

    "I''m not a member, if that''s what you''re wondering. The Janitors are also all S-ranks." Nala said flatly. "Not that I want to be a member. I prefer being my own boss, remember? I¡¯d rather not be known as the boss¡¯s daughter in his branch."

    "Right..." Sero turned back to Amaya. "So, there''s really no other person who could take my place? What about Raul, or Kanna?"

    "Funny you should mention them," The Ascendant Liaison chuckled. "They''re already participating. Raul is especially excited at the chance to fight you."

    Sero made a disapproving face at the mention of his name. "Ok, so they know about all of this too, then?"

    "No. You will be the only participant in the loop. The rest cannot know because who could tell how they''ll react. I can guarantee Raul would hunt down the Culling members himself and cause more trouble." Amaya crossed her legs and leaned forward. "Believe me, I''m not a fan of this plan either, but you are the only outlier here. You''re not that widely known yet, and your class enables you to adapt to anything."

    Sero went quiet for a moment, weighing his options. On one hand, it would be a fantastic opportunity for him to copy powerful skills and possibly win some money. On the other hand, he''d have to work and there was a very real risk of him getting caught and killed. He''d already died once and he wasn''t very keen on dying again.

    "What would I get in return?"

    "Besides copying a lot of skills? I''ll forgive your debt, and throw in a quarter million of gold."

    Sero choked and began to salivate as a wicked smile bloomed across his face.

    "You think I can be bought off?" he managed to stifle his excitement and wipe off his smirk.

    "Relocation. I''ll set you up in a 5-star suite penthouse."

    "How much is the success of this operation worth to you?" Sero began to sweat, feeling himself succumb to Amaya''s offer. Thoughts of luxury flooded his mind.

    "It is incredibly important, considering it would potentially save lives as well as the chance to catch Culling members for interrogation." Amaya leaned closer to Sero, sensing his will wavering. Nala watched the pair with a hint of amusement.

    "Then... then the deal doesn''t seem fair¨C"

    "Your meals will be paid by the association for a full month."

    "I''ll do it." Sero quickly extended his hand. Amaya shook it with a smile. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    "I''ll get started with fulfilling my half of the deal. In the meantime, the tournament is scheduled to start on the last weekend this June, so in two weeks. Make sure you''re prepared." She stood up, stretching her arms above her head.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll figure something out," Sero assured Amaya. "So, the other Ascendants don''t know about this?"

    "Nope. Just the Janitors and the Special Protections division."

    "You''re part of that division, too?"

    "Well, originally I was interested in joining their division, but I opted to go into the Liaison division instead," Amaya made a face. "Anyways, since I''ve had the most contact with you, they decided to have me mediate instead."

    "Oh, ok. So, how am I supposed to enter the tournament? Just show up at the arena?" Sero asked.

    "You can register at the association, or online. Just provide your ID as proof."

    "Got it." Sero nodded, then glanced at Nala. "Are you participating, too?"

    "Hmm? No. I''m more interested in watching how you''ll fail- how you''ll do." Nala looked up from her phone. Sero couldn''t tell if she was smirking or not.

    "Then I hope I can give you a good show." He flashed a defiant toothy smile.

    Sero''s phone started to buzz. Surprised, he took it out and squinted at the screen, which displayed an unknown number.

    Shooting a confused glance at the women, Sero picked up the call.

    "Hello?"

    "Ah, Sero?" A familiar, thundering voice responded.

    He immediately looked to Nala, who was now clearly smirking.

    "Is this... Gregor?"

    "Indeed," Gregor chuckled from the other line. "I heard that you''ve decided to participate in the tournament."

    Sero was about to ask how he knew, but quickly surmised that Nala must''ve texted him. "Uh, yeah."

    Gregor chuckled again. "Well, I just wanted to wish you luck. You''ll need it. Or, if you want some help, I could also do that for you."

    The cogs in Sero''s mind began to spin. He swallowed hard.

    "Help as in... you''ll show me your skills?"

    "I have matters to attend to today, but come find me at the union tomorrow. 12 sharp." Gregor sounded amused and hung up. Sero found it hard to contain his excitement, even despite Gregor''s vague answer.

    "Judging by the look on your face, I''m assuming that was Gregor," Amaya offered a hand to Nala, who took it and climbed off Sero''s bed.

    "Yeah. Wait, are you two going somewhere?"

    "We''re going out to lunch together." Nala had a ghost of a smile on her face.

    "Can I¨C"

    "No." Amaya stopped him with a hand. "Us girls need a break from you every now and then."

    Sero grumbled, but didn''t press any further. He watched them leave his apartment before he flopped onto his bed.

    "Hey, Aphiel?"

    No answer.

    "Don''t tell me you need a break from me, too?"

    "W-well," Aphiel finally responded. "Sometimes it''s healthy to have some time to yourself!"

    "Ok, fine, I get it." Sero sat up with a scowl. It sucked that he had to wait until tomorrow to copy Gregor''s skills, and it didn''t help that his only two friends alongside even his goddess were reluctant to hang out with him.

    A slight panic began to fester within him as he realized he might become bored soon if there was nothing to do. Which, now that he thought about it, was contradictory to his previous wishes of wanting to live a lazy life. He couldn''t quite put a finger on it, but he wanted someone to simply spend time with him doing nothing.

    Sero sighed and shook himself out of his thoughts. The pressure started to creep over him as it sank into his mind that he needed to prepare for the tournament. Not just because he needed to do well, but in the event that something went wrong, he would need to survive as well.

    He couldn''t believe it himself, but the best idea that popped into his head was to go to the association library after registering.

    <hr>

    "This is nice," Amaya smiled, taking a bite out of her strawberry ice cream sundae. "Not having to deal with him right now."

    "He''d be so hurt if he heard you say that." Nala replied with a slight smile as she dug into her second chocolate cheesecake.

    "Yeah, but he''d forget about it the moment a woman walks by. But, enough about him. Have you thought about my offer?" The Ascendant Liaison set her spoon down.

    "Mhm..." Nala swallowed before responding. "I will say, it is very tempting."

    "Of course. Underneath the Intelligence & Espionage division, you''d be the leader of your own team. Your skills and experience are some of the best I''ve ever seen. We only have 3 other teams, but they''re not very strong in infiltration like you can be."

    "Thanks. But, I''d still have to report to someone higher up, won''t I?"

    Amaya made a face. "Unfortunately, yeah. I know you don''t like to be ordered around, but maybe we could find a compromise?"

    "Sure." The Shadereaper nodded emotionlessly. "I''ll join under the two conditions I set."

    "Your team is contract based and you don''t have to follow orders outside commissioned operations, right?"

    "Yeah." Nala somehow finished her cheesecake and looked around for their waiter to order a third.

    "You''re not wanting to negotiate pay or anything like that? Not that I personally think it''s an issue, because the salary is pretty nice."

    "No," The Shadereaper started to show signs of irritation when she couldn''t spot their waiter. "Just those two conditions."

    "It''s a little out of the norm to have a team be contract based under a division, but I''ll try my best to see what I can work out." Amaya checked the time on her phone. "I have time after lunch. Do you want to do something? Maybe check out the roster for the tournament participants?"

    "Ok," Nala finally waved over their waiter. "Should we invite Sero?"

    "I''d rather not, but if you want to, you can."

    "Sometimes he''s funny." Nala shot a quick text on her phone before turning to their waiter.

    "In what way?" Amaya muttered to herself, baffled.

 Chapter 15: Study Guide to Survival

    A little while after Nala finished her fifth cheesecake, the two began to walk over to the Ascendants Association building.

    "Weird. Sero hasn''t texted back where he''s at." Nala murmured as she glanced at her phone.

    "Maybe he''s taking a nap," Amaya suggested. "He does seem pretty tired these days." The two of them continued their walk in silence until they reached the association building. As they entered, they could feel the tension in the air. Everyone was talking about the tournament, preparing, and making last-minute bets.

    "Oh? There''s three S-ranks participating this time." Amaya quickly scanned through the list displayed on one of the main TVs in the center. "Majority are A-ranks, and a couple of B-ranks..." She smiled fondly as she recognized some of the names she had helped as their liaison.

    "Hey, Sero''s on there." Nala pointed his name out. "They did not use a flattering picture of him."

    Amaya laughed, but then a few names caught her attention. Her laughter died as she narrowed her eyes.

    "I don''t recognize these names." She quickly scanned their information. All A-ranks, unaffiliated with any guilds, and unregistered with the mercenary union. 1 male, 3 females.

    "You think it might be ''them''?" Nala asked quietly.

    "Four Ascendants with no connections? It''s suspicious, but not unheard of." Amaya murmured as she snapped photos of them.

    Nala''s phone buzzed and the Shadereaper glanced at it. She turned to Amaya with a surprised expression.

    "What?"

    "He''s in the library."

    <hr>

    Deeply absorbed in the book he was reading, Sero didn''t notice the two women walking up to him.

    "Oh my god, Nala, he''s actually reading."

    Startled, Sero glanced up to see Amaya and Nala staring at him with varying levels of shock.

    "Oh, you guys are here. What''s up?" He set the book down.

    "What were you reading?" Nala''s eyes skimmed over the litter of books sprawled across the table.

    "Fuck if I know." Sero shut the book. "Introduction to Quantum Theory."

    Amaya raised an eyebrow. "Why''re you reading that?"

    Sero shrugged. "I used to study multiple engineering branches when I was in college. Wanted to see if I could understand other sciences."

    The women were silent for a moment.

    "You... studied multiple engineering paths?" Amaya was dumbfounded.

    "Yeah." Sero grimaced. "I couldn''t choose one, so I bounced around a lot. Didn''t help my debt, but I guess I don''t have to worry about that anymore."

    Nala took a seat across from Sero. "That''s cool." She seemed to have recovered from her shock. "But, why are you here?"

    "Yeah, we thought you were napping or something." Amaya sat next to her.

    "Well, I got bored, so I decided, hey why not register? And then I saw the library and thought, hey, why don''t I use my skills like a real Scholar?" he lied as he scratched the back of his head.

    Nala pulled the book Sero was reading and cracked it open to a random page. "What are two major interpretations of quantum theory?"

    "In regards to the implications for nature of reality, the Copenhagen interpretation and the many-worlds theory are two examples. The Copenhagen interpretation can be further illustrated by Schrodinger''s Cat whereas many-worlds theory, otherwise known as multiverse theory, explains that when any object exists in any state, the universe of that object creates parallel universes equal to the number of that object''s possible state." Sero''s Perfect Recall worked overtime as he was faintly surprised his Perfect Analysis allowed him to understand it immediately.

    There was silence once again. Nala closed the book softly, and pushed it back towards Sero.

    "You''re a very interesting person."

    "I know." Sero glanced at Amaya, who was still having trouble processing everything. "Why are you surprised? Even if I hadn''t told you about myself, my class skills should be able to do this much." Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    "No, I just... I never thought I''d see you in a library." She finally sat down.

    "If I had these skills earlier, maybe I wouldn''t have dropped out," Sero cracked his neck. "Eh, what''s in the past doesn''t matter now. So, what are y''all doing here?"

    "Well, we came to see the participants'' list for the tournament; figure out any clues." Amaya began. "I guess I can fill you in."

    Sero''s eyes slowly glazed over as Amaya ran through the list until she got to the four suspects.

    "These Ascendants registered without a guild or union membership. It''s not exactly uncommon for Ascendants to go completely unaffiliated, but it does provide some grounds for suspicion." Amaya explained. She pulled up the photo she took earlier.

    "Pierce Roy, Brawler class. Ester Pines, Raider, subclassed Thief. Minnie Stout, Sharpshooter, subclassed Archer. Melissa Holden, Exorcist, subclassed Mage. They''re all A-rank."

    Sero grunted as he looked at the blurry pictures.

    "You... couldn''t have taken clearer photos?"

    The Ascendant Liaison blushed. "Hey, I''m not very good at taking them. Plus, the TV screen was bright so it affected the quality."

    "Sure." Sero leaned back. "So, these are the ones we''re keeping an eye on?"

    "Yeah. There''s a chance none of them are undercover, but we can''t rule them out until we know for certain. I''ve already sent the information over to the Special Protections division so they can run background checks."

    Sero drummed his fingers on the table. Strangely, he couldn''t shake the feeling that all four suspects weren''t involved at all.

    "Anyways, that''s all we know about them for now. Do you want to know about the S-ranks?"

    A wicked gleam flashed in Sero''s eyes as he leaned forward. "Of course."

    "Well, you remember Raul, right? He recently got promoted to S-rank."

    "Oh, damn." Sero thought back to when he received Raul''s lesson. It did seem like he was holding back during their sparring session. "He''s that strong?"

    "Very," Amaya smiled. "And even though he''s a close friend, I have to admit, the other two are much stronger in comparison."

    She swiped on her phone screen, displaying a headshot of a serious looking woman. She had unblemished fair-skin and brown eyes were sharp and piercing, giving Sero the sense that she wasn''t a very friendly person. She had a defined jawline, and curled black hair that fell to her shoulders.

    "She''s cute."

    "Her name is Elena Hale, an S-rank Scaletamer," Amaya ignored his comment. "She''s widely known for her specialty in commanding reptilian familiars as well as her incredibly quick advancement from the Summoner base class. In fact, she''s one of the first Ascendants to advance."

    "I met her once a few months ago during an A-rank outbreak. She took control of the situation and easily overwhelmed the invasion with her summons." Nala seemed excited about her. "She only said what needed to be done and pretty much eliminated any risk of casualties."

    "Wow..." Sero said, trying to imagine what it would be like to fight alongside someone like that. He glanced at Amaya, who seemed equally enthralled. "What about the other one?"

    Another swipe of the screen and Sero was looking at a photo of a man. He had short, strikingly white hair that was neatly trimmed and combed. His eyes were a sharp red, much more vivid than Sero''s. He faintly reminded him of a vampire.

    "This is Liam. Not much is known about his past, but he emerged as one of the very first few... S-rank Demons." Amaya shivered. "He''s by no means a bad person, but there''s just always been a bad reputation for Demon classes."

    "Because they often have evil personalities or traits that resulted in them ascending as such." Sero finished.

    "Yeah, that''s- wow, you remembered." Amaya was taken aback. "But yeah, if not for that, then it''s something else that''s morally questionable."

    "Hmm." Sero thought to himself. "So, these two are much stronger than Raul?"

    Amaya nodded. "Honestly, I doubt you''ll even face any of these three since you''re ranked much lower on the roster, so you''ll be facing off against similarly strong Ascendants." She leaned forward. "It''s not important that you win the entire tournament, it''s important that you stay in as long as possible so that we can determine if the Culling has infiltrated or not."

    "Right." Sero sighed and leaned his chair back. "At least I''m getting a huge reward from this."

    Amaya smiled. "Yes, you are. For making it past the first round, you''ll be getting five thousand gold. That''s more than you''ll earn in a month of being an A-rank. And if you manage to make it past the second round, it''s a hundred thousand gold."

    Sero''s chair slammed back down with a thundering boom, causing many of the other members in the library to stare at them.

    "A hundred- a hundred thousand gold." Sero wheezed with a demented hunger in his eyes.

    "Yeah," Amaya recoiled. "But don''t get too ahead of yourself. Your primary goal is to hold out for as long as possible so that we can investigate."

    Sero nodded, trying to calm himself. "Right. I won''t get greedy." He glanced at the photo of Elena Hale. "Though it would be cool to copy her skills. Maybe I''ll be lucky enough to face her in the later rounds."

    Nala snorted. "I''d be your servant for a week if you manage to do that."

    "Oh?" Sero suddenly looked at Nala with a sinister smile. "Want to bet?"

    The Shadereaper shifted uncomfortably, suddenly regretting her words. "W-well, only if you manage to get her autograph, too."

    "Deal."

    "But, if you don''t, then you''ll be my servant for a week!" Nala quickly added.

    "I see no losses for me."

    "Ok!" Amaya held a hand out between Sero and Nala. "Let''s stay on track. Sero, make sure you''re prepared, ok? We''re counting on you to last in the tournament and see if you can glean any clues from the suspects."

    "Fine, fine." Sero licked his lips. Amaya stood up, Nala following suit.

    "Ok, now that that''s done, I have to get back to work. What are you guys planning to do today?"

    "I''m going to the orphanage to see if they need any more help. Maybe just play with the kids." Nala replied, glancing at Sero with an inquisitive look.

    "I''ll stay here," he pulled over a laptop he had rented out and opened it. "I need to do some research."

    Both women looked surprised.

    "What? I need to see what Elena looks like. Among other things."

    Amaya groaned and hung her head.

 Chapter 16: A Brief Respite

    Night had fallen by the time Sero returned to his apartment. He had spent the entire later half of the day looking up information on Elena Hale as well as reading through various books in between breaks.

    "Champion?"

    "Oh, shit," Sero almost dropped his key to his apartment. "Aphiel, where have you been all this time?"

    "I was at the council meeting."

    "What?" Sero closed the door behind him and flipped the lights on.

    "Oh, apologies. I attended a meeting with the other gods and goddesses to discuss the upcoming Champion tournament. Well, it was a discussion until some of the other gods began to bicker with one another over which of their champions would win."

    "You guys have meetings like that?" Sero began to strip his clothes off, throwing them into a basket before he headed to his bathroom. "I guess I shouldn''t be too surprised. By the way, I have another thing I want to ask you."

    "Yes?" Aphiel squeaked out suddenly.

    "Well-" Sero paused at the shift in her tone, beginning to realize something. "Well, now I have two things I want to ask. First, why do you refer to me as your ''Champion''?"

    "O-oh, that''s because... we select you to represent us! A-and, as our representatives, you essentially... spread our influence. We... expect you to conquer and... overcome whatever is thrown your way! You are our hope of victory." Aphiel sounded more and more flustered.

    "Hmm, I don''t exactly get it, but I can see where you''re getting at." Sero turned on the shower and sighed with relief as the warm water washed over his body. "So, the second thing is, can you see my body right now?"

    There was a long pause before Aphiel answered. "Uh... yeah. I can see everything."

    "Like what you see?" Sero grinned boldly as he switched to his thoughts.

    Aphiel squeaked out a reply, her voice barely audible over the sound of the running water. "I-I don''t want to be rude or anything, but I think it''s better if I don''t comment on that..."

    "I think not replying is more rude," Sero grumbled in his thoughts. "But, anyway, so you can see me at all times?"

    "Ah, no... not all the time." Aphiel seemed to have recovered somewhat as the rising steam obscured parts of Sero''s body. "I can only do so when we maintain a mutual connection like we are now. I can view you as you are as well as see what you see through your eyes."

    "Huh. That''s... kind of creepy." Sero admitted. "But, uh, it''s cool. I guess it''s part of the deal, huh?"

    "I cannot speak for others, but I''d rather not establish connections while you are... unpresentable."

    "Can you not just... look away?"

    "When we establish a connection, I have to envision you in order to communicate."

    "Oh." Sero scrubbed his body with soap. "That''s kinda unfortunate for you. I just have to imagine some aspect of you to communicate."

    "Of course. It''s easier for champions because of the difference in status. Mortals only need to concentrate on a portion of our divinity while we have to remember the entirety of our worship- our champions since you all do not appear distinct amongst yourselves."

    "So high-and-mighty." Sero muttered. "I guess you want to stop looking at me now, huh?"Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    "I... apologize if I''ve made you feel uncomfortable." Aphiel said weakly. "It''s just that I never really... had any experience with this."

    "It''s all good," Sero turned off the water. "I never had experience with this, either."

    <hr>

    After he dried off and covered himself, Sero relaxed in his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

    "Aphiel?"

    "Hmm?"

    "Do you have any goals or dreams of your own? Like, as a goddess, is there anything you haven''t achieved yet?"

    "Well..." Aphiel hesitated, clearly taken aback by the question. "...I''ve always wanted to have more followers. You see, there are gods and goddesses that have entire pantheons of deities at their command, while I... I''m not so fortunate. Some deities are simply more popular than others. I''ve tried to attract more worship, but it hasn''t been easy. I suppose that''s why I''m so invested in your success; I hope that by association, some of your fame might rub off on me as well."

    "Oh. How old are you?"

    "As gods and goddesses go, I''m still considered quite young. I''ve only been worshipped for a little over a thousand years. But the competition for followers is fierce, and time passes swiftly when you''re trying to make a name for yourself."

    "Have you ever had a large following?"

    For a moment, Aphiel didn''t reply. Sero wondered if it was a sensitive topic for her.

    "No," she finally spoke with a heavy undertone. "I''ve always served as a guide to other major gods and goddesses. I guess you could say that those with the same status as me could be considered what you know as angels."

    "Really? That''s interesting."

    The pair grew quiet, the ticking of Sero''s clock prominent. Sero mulled over everything Aphiel said, and finally sighed.

    "Well, I don''t know how, but I''ll make you stand out in front of the other gods," he declared with a smirk.

    "Champion..." Aphiel began, her voice uncertain. "I appreciate your support, but I don''t want you to feel pressured to do anything you don''t want to do."

    "That''d be a first," Sero sarcastically replied. "But, I want to do it. I can sorta relate to you. The whole, ''wanting to be recognized'' thing."

    "I... thank you." Aphiel said softly.

    Sero grunted in response.

    "Good night, champion."

    "Night, Aphiel."

    <hr>

    The next morning, Sero eagerly got ready and headed to the association building early. He couldn''t wait to get his hands on Gregor''s skills, whatever they may be. The prospect of adding S-rank skills to his arsenal was pretty much the only thing on his mind.

    As he entered the building and headed to the liaison office, Sero''s phone buzzed.

    "The fuck? What does she mean by ''Good luck''?" he muttered to himself as he read Nala''s message.

    He slipped his phone back into his pocket as he walked into the office, looking for Amaya. He spotted her at her desk, typing away on her computer.

    "Hey," Sero greeted as he sat down in front of her. "I know I''m early, but I''m too excited."

    "I can see that." Amaya kept her eyes on her screen. "What are you going to do for an hour?"

    Sero shrugged. "I dunno. Just hang out, I guess." He glanced around the room, noticing that it was quieter than usual. "Where''s everyone else?"

    "It gets slow during the morning. You''d be surprised at how many Ascendants aren''t early risers. Besides, with the upcoming tournament, most of them are probably getting ready. Last minute training before they register, setting up recruitment stands, organizing merchandise, all that stuff." Amaya replied absentmindedly.

    "Are you going to do anything with your guild?"

    The Ascendant Liaison stopped typing and glanced at Sero.

    "Right. Taking a break." Sero grinned sheepishly.

    Amaya rolled her eyes and went back to her computer.

    "Well, it''s not like I don''t keep in touch. I just don''t participate in guild activities." She grabbed a folder and pulled out some documents, glancing at the papers before she entered the information. "At first, I avoided the guild because it brought up some painful memories, but now I''m too swamped and preoccupied with work as a liaison to come back."

    Sero fiddled with a pen on her desk. "If you had the chance, would you go back?"

    Amaya paused and closed her eyes, rubbing the bridge of her nose with a sigh.

    "I don''t know. Why are you asking so many questions?"

    "My bad," Sero dropped the pen on the floor. "I''m just trying to pass the time by getting to know you more."

    "We can do that when I''m not working," Amaya snapped, but then took a deep breath as her shoulders dropped. "Sorry, Sero. I''m just really stressed out and have a lot of work to do on top of the investigation. Would you mind giving me around 20 minutes? We can talk more on the drive to the union."

    "Sure." Sero leaned back and pulled out his phone, keeping himself entertained by reading news of the upcoming tournament.

 Chapter 17: Substitute Teacher

    Sero licked his lips as Amaya began to drive them to the union. It was almost time for him to finally acquire his first S-rank skills, whatever they may be.

    "Is there anything else you''d want to ask?" Amaya glanced at him as they stopped at a light.

    "Hmm? Oh, yeah." Sero shook himself out of his thoughts. "What are some of your goals and dreams?"

    "What?" Amaya was taken aback. "Oh, I guess one of the most important goals to me right now is to get rid of the Culling. Until they are gone and the safety of the people can be protected, I don''t think I can focus on anything else."

    "Gotcha." Sero nodded slowly. "So I gotta make sure I do my part."

    "Yeah," The liaison looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "What''s up with you? Ever since you agreed to this, you''ve been acting... not like yourself."

    Sero opened his mouth and hesitated. Truthfully, he was excited to see and copy more skills along with the potential gold rewards if he performed well. But there was also a part of him that felt pressured, the same feeling that had plagued him throughout his time at university. Honestly, Sero was scared that he wouldn''t be able to pull his weight and let everyone down again.

    "I was just... curious," he lied. "The world changed in a short year, and I was just thinking about if people''s dreams and goals changed too."

    Amaya didn''t reply, giving him another side-eye. Sero got the feeling that she didn''t believe him.

    "Is that why you asked me about mine?" Aphiel asked.

    "Something like that, yeah."

    After a few minutes, Amaya cleared her throat.

    "What about your parents?"

    Sero''s face darkened.

    "That''s none of your-" he stopped himself after he remembered how Amaya had opened up to him, albeit slightly. "Sorry. My mom died before I graduated high school, and my dad... we''re not on good terms after I told him I was dropping out of college."

    "Oh. I''m sorry for your loss." Amaya quietly said.

    "Thanks. I guess that''s something we have in common." Sero tried to sound positive.

    "Yeah, but... you don''t talk to your dad at all?"

    "Not since we had that fight when I told him I was dropping out." Sero made a face as he recalled the memory. "He couldn''t understand why I was dropping out since he worked so hard to pay for me to attend. I told him I refused to waste his money because I couldn''t follow through with any of my majors and wanted to work to pay off my debts to him and the university. He threatened to kick me out if I dropped because he didn''t care about the cost if it meant I''d be able to graduate."

    He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I didn''t want him to spend the rest of his life working off a debt that I owed, so I dropped out, left home, and cut off all contact. I send him a portion of my paychecks every time I get them, as a way of slowly returning the money he wasted on me."

    Amaya shifted in her seat, seemingly unsure of what to say.

    "Anyways," Sero pulled out his phone. "I think his bank account changed since the apocalypse, so I''ll have to find his new one later."

    "I''ll... I''ll help you."

    "Thanks."

    Sero put his phone away and looked over at Amaya.

    "By the way, you''re looking great today."

    Amaya immediately scowled, but he could tell that she seemed relieved to hear him say that.

    <hr>

    The two of them were in a much better mood as they pulled up to the mercenary union.

    As Sero hopped out of Amaya''s car, he turned back to her.

    "Thanks for the ride." He winked.

    "Don''t mention it," she wrinkled her nose. "Shoot me a text after you''re done. I''ll pick you up after my shift."

    "Will do." He had barely shut the door before Amaya quickly pulled out and drove away. Sero smirked as he turned and headed into the building, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

    As he entered, Sero immediately scanned around the lobby to see if Gregor was there. Even though he had arrived a little before 12, Sero couldn''t help but feel as if the Janitors leader had already got there.

    Skirting around the crowd that obstructed the center of the lobby, Sero glanced over at the reception desk behind them to see any signs of Gregor.

    "Fuck." Sero muttered when he finally gave up after determining that he wasn''t there. He took a seat on one of the couches in the lounge area nearby.

    "Are you that excited for his skills?"

    "Duh. I wanna know what Gregor''s class is, and copy those S-rank skills that apparently puts him in the top ten around the world." If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "Do you think that that would make you an S-rank?" Aphiel sounded a little confused.

    "Sorta. I mean, I''ve come to terms that skills aren''t everything, but I''m pretty sure that they can damn well boost my strength a lot." Sero licked his lips. "Still, I''m also interested in what kind of person he is. Like, how he managed to get to S-rank. I''m sure there''s a story behind it."

    He glanced at the time on his phone. It was now 12. Sero eagerly glanced around to see if Gregor would be walking in through the front door.

    "Ah, you''re right on time."

    Sero jumped, almost falling out of his seat as he whirled around. Behind him stood Gregor and an unfamiliar man.

    "God, you scared me." Sero stood up and composed himself. "I mean, yessir. I am ready for whatever you''re gonna throw at me."

    "So, this is the unique class you were talking about, Boss?" The pale-skinned man next to Gregor spoke up, giving Sero an unimpressed look.

    Something about the man seemed familiar. He was about an inch shorter than Gregor, but still towered over Sero. He wore a similar black suit like Gregor''s, but the collar of his white dress shirt was unbuttoned, and the cuffs of his slacks were rolled above his ankles. His hair was white and slicked back and his eyes were a striking red. Black tribal tattoos adorned his neck and disappeared down his shirt.

    "Um, hi. I''m Sero." He hesitantly extended his hand towards the man.

    "Enzo." The man replied evenly, keeping his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, he''s gonna need a lot of work." Enzo glanced at Gregor.

    "Well, hopefully you''ll be able to teach him well," Gregor chuckled, seemingly unfazed by Enzo''s disapproving attitude towards Sero. "He''s an integral part of the operation, after all."

    "Wait," Sero shifted his eyes between the two men. "You''re not the one teaching me?"

    "Unfortunately not," Gregor smiled apologetically. "I have too much work to do before the tournament. But, Enzo here will do an adequate job of training you."

    Sero flicked his gaze towards Enzo, hiding his disappointment.

    "Oh? Are you thinking that I''m not worth your time?" Enzo scowled as he stepped up to Sero, seemingly noticing his displeasure.

    "N-no, I was just... I just thought Gregor would be the one training me. I''m sure you''ll be a good teacher, too!" Sero quickly tried to appease the man.

    "Look at that. He''s quick to change his tune." Enzo scoffed to Gregor.

    Sero could feel himself liking Enzo less and less. Gregor smiled with amusement as he clapped a hand onto Enzo''s shoulders.

    "Don''t be like that. Give him a chance, I''m sure he''ll surprise you."

    "Whatever you say, Boss."

    Gregor turned to Sero. "I know you must feel a little confused, but trust me. Enzo here is an S-rank as well, and I have full faith in his strength. You will definitely gain something from his training."

    The leader of the Janitors nodded to the both of them before he walked away. "Good luck, Sero."

    After he left, Sero shifted awkwardly under Enzo''s gaze.

    "So¨C"

    "You the Scholar, right?"

    "Oh, y-yeah." Sero stammered. He really didn''t want to interact with this man, and he got the feeling Enzo shared the sentiment.

    "All right," Enzo sighed as he pulled his hands out of his pockets, showing off more tribal tattoos. "Let''s see what that old man was talking about."

    In a split second, Enzo''s eyes glowed red with mana, and Sero felt himself being pulled somewhere.

    When he registered what had just happened, Sero found himself in an arid desert, surrounded by nothing but sand. The weather was strangely warm and bearable, despite the blazing sun overhead. Enzo stood in front of him with a bored expression.

    "Welcome to my Sponsor''s personal space. Blah, blah, blah, this space is completely safe and whatever." Enzo half-heartedly explained. He slipped his hands into his pockets once more. "Well, show me what you''ve got."

    "What?" Sero blinked in confusion. He was still trying to process the change of environment.

    "Come at me with everything you got," Enzo let out an exasperated sigh. "I gotta see where you''re at if I''m gonna train you."

    Sero quickly shook himself and gathered his concentration. He cycled his energy and mana efficiency as well as casting Iron Skin. Green mana swirled around his hands as Sero conjured his sword.

    "Don''t hold back." Enzo yawned. "I''m serious."

    A rising irritation grew within Sero as he crouched down. Enzo''s attitude was getting on his nerves, reminding him of some past memories he didn''t want to particularly remember.

    "Champion..." Aphiel sounded worried.

    "He said not to hold back." Sero thought back as he launched himself forward. He fired a couple of mana railguns, followed by his newly acquired Fire Blast.

    To his utter shock, Enzo easily dodged the railguns, moving his body with minimal effort. He then dug his dress shoe into the sand and kicked upwards, sending a giant wave of sand that clashed and extinguished the Fire Blast.

    Sero wasn''t done yet. With his Perfect Analysis, he immediately dissolved into shadows, rematerializing behind Enzo as the sand cleared. Sero held out his hand and fired a mana nuke towards Enzo''s back.

    With inhuman speed and strength, Enzo spun around with a roundhouse kick, connecting with the nuke and sending it flying off to the side. As the nuke exploded in the distance, Sero couldn''t believe that his Perfect Analysis told him that Enzo was not using any skills. It was even worse that it told him Enzo had no weaknesses.

    Shaken, but still determined, Sero quickly threw mana knives and detonated them. In the back of his mind, he felt a slight sense of worry that he may have harmed him, but Sero pressed on, firing railguns in the cloud of green mana and sand.

    Finally, Sero finished up with a mana nuke, careful to cut back on the power in the off-chance that Enzo couldn''t handle the attack.

    The nuke disappeared into the smokescreen and in a split second, screeched right back towards Sero.

    "Oh, shit-" He barely managed to shift into shadows as the nuke whizzed through his dark mass harmlessly. Rematerializing, Sero prepared to fire more mana nukes into the dispersing smokescreen.

    "My turn." Enzo suddenly appeared before Sero''s eyes, his fist out from his pockets and cocked back. Before he could even react, Enzo sent a wicked right hook to Sero''s jaw, sending him flying through the air. Sero registered the sheer strength behind Enzo''s punch as he skidded across the ground painfully.

    "Are you ok?"

    For a while, Sero remained on the sand in disbelief. Enzo wasn''t joking about holding back, and he realized he should''ve been more alert. He began to notice the overwhelming pain on his jaw, and he quickly casted Recovery on himself. He hadn¡¯t realized that his entire body was burning with agony.

    "Holy shit, Aphiel. People like him exist?"

    "Two things," Sero heard Enzo¡¯s voice approaching. "First, you are terrible at fighting, but at least you got the technical skills down."

    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Enzo¡¯s dress shoes stop near his head, then Enzo himself crouching down.

    "Second, I told you not to hold back."

 Chapter 18: Supplemental Materials

    "God damn¡­" Sero muttered to himself, still laying on the sand. "How strong are you?"

    Enzo smirked as he stood up. "You noticed?"

    Sero winced as he sat up, checking his body. His Recovery was still working, but Enzo¡¯s singular attack interrupted both his efficiency cycles and his Iron Skin. On top of that, Enzo seemed to have done it with pure, raw strength, no energy efficiency included.

    "Yeah¡­ one of my skills informed me that it was just your own strength."

    "Guess there¡¯s some merit to what that old man was saying." Enzo gazed down upon him. "So, can you really copy anything you see?"

    "Pretty much." Sero got up and dusted himself off.

    "Even if some skills require certain passives?"

    "Passives?"

    Enzo frowned at him. "Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what those are."

    "I don¡¯t¡ª" Sero recalled something. "Oh, I remember that testing orb saying mine was Rationality and Influence?"

    Enzo regarded Sero for a moment. "Rationality I assume is something similar to logic-based passives. Old man guessed it helps your reasoning stay intact and protects you from mental attacks. But, I¡¯m not sure what Influence does."

    "Oh, Influence allows you to¡ª"

    "Wait," Sero raised his hand, cutting Aphiel off. "What are passives? Are they like¡­ abilities in a game?"

    "Ugh, he told me you were revived earlier this month, so that¡¯s why you don¡¯t know anything," Enzo sighed to himself. "Yeah, passives are the opposite of skills. They usually don¡¯t require mana or for you to activate or cast them. They work in the background at all times unless you suppress it yourself."

    "Oh." Sero slowly understood. "So, Rationality could be like me calming myself down and thinking things through?"

    "Obviously." Enzo stopped himself. "I¡¯m not gonna act like I know everything your passives do for you; it¡¯s just something you¡¯re gonna have to figure out yourself."

    "Champion, I can explain them further later!"

    "Thanks." Sero felt a rare sense of gratitude for the goddess.

    "Run your skills by me. Your base ones."

    Sero hesitated, but then gave a brief explanation of his Perfect Copy, Recall, and Analysis.

    "That¡¯s¡­ interesting." Enzo murmured to himself as Sero finished. "Perfect Analysis would be incredibly useful for battle strategies. But," he glanced at Sero with a curious look. "You ever used it on yourself?"

    "I- No, I never really thought about it?"

    Enzo shook his head dismissively. "You can try that out later. For now, I¡¯m gonna lay some groundwork." He took a hand out of his pockets and raised his index finger.

    "So, from what you¡¯ve shown me, your Perfect Analysis is a fuckin¡¯ broken skill. But, its flaw in your case is that it only tells you information about your opponent or whatever and potential strategies. Am I right so far?"

    Sero nodded, a little surprised that Enzo was able to glean that much off their skirmish.

    "You got a supercomputer in your head. That¡¯s amazing, but you don¡¯t have the skills to utilize it completely." Enzo narrowed his eyes. "You don¡¯t have the experience to back it up. In simpler terms, knowing everything from the rules and strategies of a sport is vastly different from actually playing the sport."

    "Oh," It started to click in Sero¡¯s head. "So, what you¡¯re saying is¡ª"

    "You need to get beat up more." Enzo nodded sagely.

    "Wait, hold on¡ª"

    "Get ready." Enzo took out his hands and assumed a fighting stance.

    <hr>

    Despite his best efforts, Enzo continually pummeled Sero, knocking him down over and over again. Even with the goal of getting a feel for fighting, Sero began to lose motivation with every beat down.

    When Enzo kicked him into the sand face-first, Sero laid there for a moment. His body was in pain, even with his Recovery and Iron Skin working overtime. A sense of shame and embarrassment washed over him, and Sero was reluctant to get back up.

    "What are you doing?" He heard Enzo call out. "We¡¯re not even halfway done yet." This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    "I¡¯m tired," Sero responded, his voice muffled by the sand. "You¡¯re just beating me up for fun at this point."

    He heard Enzo crouch down next to him.

    "You thought this would be easy?"

    "After you punched me the first time, not really¡ª"

    "You are getting better. Not that it was an improvement in the first place, but I can see that you¡¯re developing your battle sense."

    Sero lifted his head in surprise. Enzo still had the same disapproving expression, but he seemed genuine about his words.

    "Really?" Sero pushed himself up, spitting out sand.

    "You still need more work, but I can tell you¡¯re starting to consider other options instead of rushing in head first. It¡¯s taking longer and longer to knock you down."

    Sero wasn¡¯t sure if he should take that as a compliment or not.

    "To be fair, I¡¯m much stronger than you. I¡¯m not trying to boast or anything, but that¡¯s the truth." Enzo stood up and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I¡¯m guessing you feel discouraged because you haven¡¯t been able to really get some good hits on me, so you think you¡¯d never be able to beat me."

    Sero scowled as he stood up as well, but he had to admit that Enzo was right.

    "So, don¡¯t think that way. Focus on improving your sense of fighting. Don¡¯t get used to thinking you have to beat me. Get used to being beaten up."

    "Not sure how that¡¯s helpful."

    Enzo smirked. "I¡¯m being honest here. If you start tunneling on the idea of beating someone leagues above you, you might ignore the important basics of learning their move set or exploiting their weaknesses." He nodded at Sero. "You notice that my hits aren¡¯t as hard anymore?"

    "Now that you mention it," Sero thought for a moment. "Yeah, they aren¡¯t."

    There was a hint of approval in Enzo¡¯s expression. "I haven¡¯t actually reduced the strength of my attacks. You¡¯ve just gotten better at anticipating and rolling with the hits." He took out a hand and extended a fist towards Sero. "For that, I¡¯ll reveal three pieces of information: a skill, a passive, and my class."

    Sero¡¯s face immediately contorted with a wicked glee as he began to salivate. He had almost forgotten that Enzo was an S-rank as well.

    "Now that¡¯s what I like to see," Enzo grinned at Sero¡¯s expression. "Endure the training, and I¡¯ll reward you properly."

    "Yessir!"

    "First off, my class is Demonic Judge."

    "Huh?" Sero was momentarily taken aback.

    "Surprised? What do you know about Demon classes?" Enzo had a knowing smile.

    "Uh, that people who are Demons usually have evil traits or personalities." Sero recalled what Amaya had said earlier. "Or something else that caused them to ascend as such."

    "Something like that, yeah." Enzo verified with a nod. "In my case, I murdered some very bad people before the apocalypse."

    "Wait, what?"

    "So, I ascended as a Demon. From there, I advanced into a Demonic Judge."

    "Champion," Aphiel sounded both in awe and terrified. "Unique classes don¡¯t usually have advancements due to how powerful they already are. The fact that he advanced such a class means that he¡¯s extremely powerful."

    Sero¡¯s mouth opened slightly. "Damn.."

    "Moving on, one of my passives is Relentless." Enzo seemed prideful at the impression he was giving Sero. "Relentless keeps my stats consistent, no matter what. Even if I get wounded, get my limbs chopped off, or have something restrict my body, my speed and strength will always remain the same, with unlimited endurance. I can also raise or lower the consistency at will. In the most basic example, I can always punch you at 50 percent strength no matter what or run at whatever speed forever. The only drawback is that it¡¯s useless if I take too much damage to handle."

    Sero nodded understandingly. It was a pretty strong passive skill, and it helped explain how Enzo was able to counter Sero¡¯s explosive skills with pure raw strength.

    "And last but not least," Enzo matched Sero¡¯s sudden unhinged grin. "The first of my skills is called Fairness."

    "Oh?" Sero licked his lips eagerly.

    Enzo¡¯s hands swirled with red mana as he raised a palm at Sero. He clenched his hand into a fist and lowered it. Sero¡¯s body buzzed with power as he copied the skill.

    "Wait," Sero frowned as his Perfect Analysis quickly processed the skill. "You can¡¯t use it on me?"

    "So the old man was right about your copy ability," Enzo was mildly impressed. "Yeah, you¡¯re right. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve learned, but Fairness is a skill that allows the user to forcefully balance the strength between themselves and their opponent. You steal your opponents¡¯ stats until the both of you are evenly matched. The two main drawbacks are that it only works on people stronger than you, and that the bigger the strength difference, the shorter the balance lasts."

    "That¡¯s still pretty good." Sero could feel his heart pumping with excitement.

    Enzo chuckled, reminding Sero of a Doberman. He splayed his hands out invitingly towards him.

    "Go ahead. Test it out on me."

    Sero didn¡¯t need any more encouragement as he mimicked Enzo¡¯s earlier movements, casting Fairness on the Demonic Judge.

    Almost immediately, Sero felt an overwhelming power crash upon him. He nearly fell to his knees as he quickly adjusted to the new surge of strength.

    "Holy shit!" Sero gasped as he adapted. He casually threw a jab, watching in awe as a shockwave blasted out from his action. "Just how strong are you?"

    Enzo laughed for real this time, akin to a low barking. "What¡¯s funny is that you seem to forget about Relentless."

    "Huh?"

    "I¡¯m barely using a sliver of my strength, and that¡¯s what you absorbed from me. But Relentless keeps my stats consistent, remember? I haven¡¯t lost anything at all."

    Sero stared at him in shock. "Wait, that¡¯s way too fucking broken."

    Enzo shrugged. "You¡¯re one to talk. But, if you think that¡¯s incredible, then wait till you learn about the old man¡¯s profile. It¡¯s not something I¡¯m proud to admit, but he¡¯s even stronger than I am. And he¡¯s the only one I¡¯ve ever lost to."

    Sero was speechless. Here he was, marveling at his strength as an A-rank when the S-rank in front of him was in a completely different world. He began to think about the enormous gap between the ranks and slowly felt nervous about the S-ranks in the upcoming tournament.

    "Wait a minute," Sero suddenly remembered something. The strength he had stolen from Enzo disappeared as the duration ran out. "You wouldn¡¯t happen to know an S-rank named Liam, would you? He¡¯s a Demon class too."

    Enzo tilted his head curiously. "Know him? He¡¯s my little brother."

 Chapter 19: Workplace Crushes?

    Sero struggled to avoid Enzo¡¯s attacks as his body screamed in protest. While the addition of Fairness helped him temporarily match Enzo¡¯s strength, Sero learned that the repeated use took a heavy toll on his body. It was also taxing on his energy and mana reserves, siphoning large chunks that he couldn¡¯t recover quick enough.

    Up until this point, Sero gradually relied less on his mana sword and skills, opting to focus on melee combat as a sign of respect and resolve to Enzo, who was also using his fists to fight. However, unlike Enzo, Sero didn¡¯t have a passive like Relentless to deal with the ever-growing fatigue and resource depletion.

    Sero threw out a jab, feeling the stolen strength he acquired moments ago leave his body. Enzo easily sidestepped and thrust his palm into Sero¡¯s chest, knocking him away once again.

    Landing hard on the sand once again, Sero struggled to get back up, but couldn¡¯t. His body was completely spent.

    "You done?" Enzo entered his vision.

    "Yeah. I can''t get back up."

    "Good." Enzo smirked as a throne made of hardened sand suddenly rose up from the ground. The Demonic Judge took a seat and watched Sero with an unreadable expression.

    "No, yeah, I can pick myself up, thanks." Sero grumbled sarcastically as he rolled over and shakily pushed up off the ground.

    "Congratulations on getting through your first day. Let''s review your performance." Enzo slouched back and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You''ve got quite the knack for taking hits."

    Sero grinned sheepishly. "Thanks, I guess?"

    "Your combat sense is still terrible, but it''s a hell of a lot better now than when you first started," The Demonic Judge continued. "You''ve learned to rely less on your Perfect Analysis and trust your instincts. That''s good because you waste less time considering all your options."

    "Isn''t it better to thoroughly plan out the best way to attack?"

    "In your case, no," Enzo frowned as he leaned forward. "Normally, that''s something I''d advocate for, but your ability gives you all the information you need. Your lack of experience causes you to hesitate for a second to consider the options and that''s extremely risky in a real fight. While I''m training you, I''m going to drill that combat sense into you, so you can quickly choose and execute the best option without a second thought."

    Sero made a face, but nodded begrudgingly. Everything Enzo said was true, after all.

    "I also plan to get you suited for adaptation, in the case where the option you chose doesn''t work out." The Demonic Judge grinned. "I''ll tell you this right now; it''s going to be hell until the tournament."

    Sero couldn''t find the words to respond. "All right..." he finally mumbled.

    "You starting to think my training is hard?" Enzo snickered. "Just imagine the old man''s training. What you''ll go through would never compare to what I went through."

    Sero was silent for a moment, then nodded. "I''ll keep that in mind. So, what''s next?"

    The Demonic Judge pulled his sleeve back and glanced at his watch. "Your mercy. It''s been six hours since we started training. We should head back."

    "Six- we''ve been in here for six hours?" Sero exclaimed.

    "Oh, yeah. My Sponsor''s personal space sorta makes you forget about stuff." Enzo stood up from his throne.

    "Who''s your Sponsor?"

    "Eh, just the goddess Ma''at."

    "Ma''at?" Aphiel suddenly squeaked in Sero''s thoughts.

    "Who¡¯s that?" Sero was unfamiliar with the name.

    "From Egyptian mythology, she¡¯s the goddess who personified truth, order, balance, justice, harmony, law, and morality." Enzo closed an eye thoughtfully. "I think I listed them all. Anyways, this is her personal space. Apparently, she¡¯s a big shot goddess so I don¡¯t really get to talk to her much." He shrugged.

    "She¡¯s¡­ incredibly important and powerful," Aphiel chimed in, almost enviously. "Her champions were always purveyors of her ideals, so I wonder if this champion represents justice considering his class." This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Do you represent justice?" Sero asked.

    "If it helps you understand, yeah, you could say that."

    "So then does your brother¡­ Is he also one of Ma¡¯at¡¯s?"

    "Yep," Enzo chuckled, though it sounded more like a low huffing. "He¡¯s somewhat aligned to balance."

    "Is he strong like you, too?"

    "Mmm," Enzo opened his eye and gazed down at Sero. "He¡¯s not stronger than me, but definitely stronger than you. But, who knows? Maybe you¡¯ll change that once I¡¯m through with you."

    "Sounds great." Sero replied sarcastically. He got up and brushed the sand off his clothes. "I can¡¯t wait to get beaten up some more."

    "That¡¯s the spirit." Enzo flashed a toothy smile. "if it makes you feel any better, all you need for improvement is experience. Your resource control is decent, and you can just copy any skill, so there¡¯s no point in refining either of those."

    "It does a little," Sero admitted. "But, I¡¯m still getting beaten up."

    Enzo huffed again. "Then imagine what I had to go through with the old man¡¯s training."

    <hr>

    Amaya was in the lounge area of the mercenary union, working on her laptop when she saw a bright red flash appear before her.

    When her vision cleared, she saw Sero and a white-haired man standing there.

    "Oh, hey Amaya." The Scholar casually greeted.

    "Hey, yourself." Amaya closed her laptop and stood up, slightly annoyed. She noticed Sero appeared worn out, his clothes dirty with sand and his hair matted with sweat. The man next to him, however, was completely at ease without a single speck of dirt on his black suit. Amaya nodded to him in acknowledgement, her heart rate slightly increasing.

    "Enzo."

    "Liaison Amaya."

    "You two know each other? Wait, of course you do, you guys are working together." Sero answered his own question.

    "You were the one training him?" Amaya asked, ignoring Sero.

    "Yeah. The old man said he was too busy and put me in charge of babysitting." Enzo replied, scratching at his neck with a finger.

    "How was it?" Amaya avoided Enzo¡¯s red eyes.

    "He kept beating me up, saying it was training¡ª"

    "Sero¡¯s gonna need a lot of work if he¡¯s going to make it past the first round. But, his footwork and agility is pretty impressive for a beginner."

    "Oh, that¡¯s the stuff I copied from Amaya." The Scholar interjected, seemingly miffed at being left out of the conversation.

    "That so? Then you¡¯re pretty skilled right, Miss Liaison?" Enzo raised an eyebrow.

    "I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m capable." Amaya kept her voice even, still avoiding Enzo¡¯s gaze.

    "Whatever you say. I¡¯ll be going now." Enzo walked past Amaya without so much as a goodbye to either of them. She let out a breath that she didn¡¯t realize she was holding.

    After he left, Amaya turned back to Sero. She flinched when she saw his intense concentration on her.

    "What? What are you doing?"

    The Scholar made a face and tilted his head. His eyes squinted at her with a slight fascination.

    "You¡­ have a thing for Enzo?" Sero finally asked.

    Amaya blinked, taken aback by the sudden question. She hesitated for a moment before answering. "No, of course not. He''s... not my type." She forced out a laugh, hoping it didn''t sound as forced as it felt.

    "You''re lying. My Perfect Analysis is telling me there''s something about him that''s attractive to you." Sero gazed at Amaya with a frown. "But what does he have that I don''t? We''re pretty much the same person..."

    Amaya opened her mouth to protest, but then he snapped his fingers with a triumphant grin.

    "It''s his suit. You like guys in suits."

    She was speechless. How did Sero figure that out so fast?

    "I-I don''t know what you mean," she stammered, feeling heat rising in her cheeks. "Anyway, it''s not like you can''t wear a suit. You can, you know. Just buy one."

    "Hell, no." The Scholar waved a dismissive hand. "You''ll never catch me wearing a suit. Not even if it''s to impress the ladies."

    "Ok, whatever, let''s get going now!" Amaya turned on her heel and quickly made her way towards the exit, clutching her laptop tightly towards her chest. Of all the people she showed weakness in front of, it just had to be Sero.

    <hr>

    Sero groaned dramatically as he slowly rolled his sore shoulders back. His Recovery was in full effect, but he predicted that he''d be back in top condition after a good night''s rest.

    Glancing over, he smirked as he watched Amaya focus intently on speeding through traffic, apparently desperate to get him back home. Granted, his deduction at uncovering Amaya''s crush on Enzo was a shot in the dark, but his Perfect Analysis had hinted something off with her heart rate.

    Before getting into the car, Sero was blasted with a Water Blast and then Fire Blast, but it seemed like Amaya wanted to get him back for his sleuthing.

    "Worth it." Sero thought to himself gleefully.

    "You''re a terrible person." Aphiel retorted in response. "Whatever you have planned, I hope you don''t go through with it."

    "Who says I have anything planned?"

    "Aren''t you attracted to her?"

    "Yeah?" Sero slightly frowned. "But I''m also attracted to Nala, Kanna, the S-rank Elena¨C"

    "Ok, I get it!" Aphiel sounded mortified. "Excuse me, I think I need a moment."

    "Talk to you later." Sero chuckled.

 Chapter 20: Pulling All-Nighters

    Sero waited impatiently for his food to arrive. Before Amaya could drop him off at his apartment, he convinced her to join him for dinner, although she seemed reluctant to spend any more time with him. They decided to stop by the same Italian restaurant prior to the succubus outbreak, since Sero offered to pay for her meal.

    "So," Sero sipped his water, relishing the refreshing coolness with a satisfied smile. "Wanna talk about earlier?"

    "I¡¯ll stab you if you ever bring it up again." Amaya set down her glass of wine and glared at him.

    "Ok, fine," Sero raised his hands in mock surrender. "How about the offer we made?"

    The liaison sighed. "Well, I haven¡¯t had a chance to organize the gold or look for a new location for you yet, but I have an inkling of what to do. In any case, you¡¯ll definitely be moved on the condition you get past the first round."

    "Easy enough," he shrugged nonchalantly. "I¡¯m not worried about that."

    "These are pretty strong Ascendants, you know." Amaya glanced at him skeptically.

    "I know. I just have a feeling I¡¯ll at least make it to the semi-finals."

    "Including you, there are 32 participants. Apparently, there hasn¡¯t been any more registrations after Liam and Elena announced their participation in the tournament."

    "They¡¯re that strong to scare off any more sign-ups?" Sero leaned his chair back.

    "Yes and no," Amaya made a face. "After the first tournament a couple months back, a rule was implemented stating that the maximum allowed S-ranks is four, to prevent other lower ranked Ascendants from refusing to participate. There¡¯s plans of having a separate tournament exclusively for S-ranks because of the massive gap between them and A-ranks."

    Their food finally arrived, briefly pausing their conversation; Sero had ordered lobster scampi while Amaya had opted for salmon piccata.

    "With the rule in place, it did help appease the population regarding the strength disparity, so there was always a healthy amount of participants," Amaya continued after taking a bite. "But, this upcoming tournament is generating a lot of buzz due to the fact that Elena and Liam are participating."

    "I don¡¯t get it. What¡¯s so special about them?" Sero¡¯s words were muffled by the food in his mouth.

    "Do you remember what I said about the global S-rank leaderboard?" Amaya made a disgusted face at Sero. "How there are 10 that are pretty much considered unparalleled in strength?"

    "Sure."

    "Well, Enzo¡¯s the 10th strongest S-rank," Amaya had a faint blush on her cheeks. "And his brother Liam is somewhere among the top 15. Elena is also around that area as well."

    "Oh, shit. That makes so much sense." Sero muttered to himself. Seeing Enzo¡¯s strength earlier made him wonder just how much stronger the Demonic Judge really was.

    "So, it¡¯s natural for lower-ranked Ascendants to be hesitant about signing up. It¡¯s like in sports; an amateur would feel better playing against a professional than a world champion."

    "Huh, Enzo also used a sports comparison earlier today."

    "A-anyways," Amaya turned redder and quickly changed the subject. "Because both Liam and Elena are competing, it''s deterring a lot of other Ascendants from joining. I feel a little bad for Raul, since he recently just got promoted to S-rank and is being overshadowed by them."

    Sero swallowed his food. "Well, that just makes your investigation easier, right? Less Ascendants means less people to track."

    "True." Amaya sipped her wine and went quiet, a troubled expression on her face. "I really hope nothing goes wrong, but there''s a good chance that something will happen during the tournament. Are you going to be ok?"

    Sero stopped eating and set down his fork. He knew there was a big risk in him participating, but for some reason, he wasn''t afraid of that at all. Rather, he was more worried that he wouldn''t be able to meet the expectations that everyone had of him.

    "Of course I am," Sero grinned as he lied. "I''m fucking cool."

    The Ascendant Liaison didn''t seem convinced. In fact, it looked like she was even more concerned.

    "Hey, no worries," Sero smiled reassuringly. "I''m being trained by the best and I''ve got you guys to support me. I''ll be fine."

    "Well, if you''re sure..." Amaya hesitated, then sighed. "I just want you to remember that I''m here for you if you need me. You can tell me anything, you know that. Well, almost anything."

    "Thanks." Sero picked up his fork. "I always knew you cared about me."

    Amaya looked like she wanted to snap back, but shook her head and downed her glass.

    <hr>

    After getting dropped off at his apartment, Sero made sure to wash up before he talked to Aphiel.

    "So, you were going to explain my passives?" He thought to Aphiel as he climbed into bed.

    "Right, well, the champion Enzo was correct in his explanation of Rationality. It prevents you from succumbing to any mental attacks or disruptive emotions and keeps you calm." The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "Wait," Sero sat up in his bed. "Is that why those succubi charms didn''t work on me? Hold on, why didn''t you tell me this earlier?"

    "Ah," Aphiel sounded flustered. "W-well, that''s because..."

    Sero waited for her to finish. "Yes?"

    "Ok, I had to ask around for an explanation! I was curious as to why the charms didn''t work on you either, so I begged some gods for answers."

    "Oh." Sero didn''t have the heart to make a snarky comment hearing the shame in Aphiel''s tone. "That''s fine."

    "I- what? Really?" Aphiel paused for a moment. "Um, anyways, your other passive, Influence, is a little more difficult to explain."

    "How so?"

    "Well, Influence supposedly enables you to copy a passive from another champion for a period of time, though there are no answers as to how you''d go about doing that."

    "Pardon?" Sero choked on his spit as a dastardly glee shone in his eyes. "I can copy other passives?"

    "Correct. That''s pretty much all I know about Influence, I''m sorry."

    "No, don''t be," Sero wiped the drool from his mouth. "Just a basic explanation was enough, thanks."

    "Oh. I''m glad I could help, then."

    Learning about his Influence passive opened up a new world of possibilities for Sero, and he found himself too excited to sleep. He knew he should probably rest considering Enzo''s intensity, but his mind kept racing with new ideas he wanted to test out.

    "Hey, Aphiel?" Sero decided to try and distract himself.

    "Yes, champion?"

    "You said you don''t need sleep the way I do, right? What do you usually do?"

    "Oh," Aphiel seemed to collect her thoughts. "I often spend time with Hecate and Isis. We''ve been discussing the upcoming tournament and who would emerge victorious."

    "Did you... choose me?"

    The silence was all Sero needed to know.

    "Never mind," A scowl flashed across his face. "So, you spend time with other gods and goddesses outside of talking to me?"

    "Well... the lesser gods, yes. Only Hecate and Isis don''t seem to mind my company." Sero detected a hint of sadness and loneliness in her tone and couldn''t help but feel pity for the goddess.

    "That''s cool," he tried to sound upbeat. "Are you gonna go hang with them now?"

    "I plan to, but I can remain here if you''d like me to."

    "Nah, it''s ok," Sero laid back down with his hands behind his head. "I gotta get as much rest for tomorrow."

    "Very well. Good night, champion."

    "Night, Aphiel."

    <hr>

    Sero was waiting in the lounge area of the mercenary union after being dropped off by Amaya. He felt refreshed despite sleeping so late, obsessing more over the possibilities of his Influence passive.

    "You''re back."

    Sero turned around in his seat to see Enzo standing behind him in the same black suit. The Demonic Judge had the same bored and displeased expression plastered on his face.

    "Yessir." Sero stood up, eager to start despite Enzo''s attitude. He had opted to drop his bomber jacket, going for athletic shorts and a simple gray t-shirt.

    "Well, I commend your commitment," Enzo slipped a hand out and spread his fingers palm-down as his eyes glowed red. "You''d better keep that up."

    In a blink of an eye, the pair was transported into Ma''at''s personal space once again. Sero immediately crouched into a defensive stance, his fists raised.

    "What are you doing?" Enzo raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. "You gonna keep using your fists?"

    "Oh." Sero blinked, unsure of how to answer. "I mean, I''m just doing so cause you are."

    "Don''t do that. If you were a melee- orientated class, then by all means, but you''re a Scholar. Your biggest strength is supposedly your mind, and by proxy, your skills."

    "Well... ok." Sero conjured his mana blade. Enzo gave him another questioning stare.

    "You gonna cover your sword with mana?"

    "I can do that?" Sero glanced at his blade.

    "Holy shit," Enzo dropped his head for a moment before he looked up at Sero again. "Ok, just imagine sending your mana into your blade, but instead of letting it escape, focusing on keeping it contained."

    Sero did as he was told, finding it relatively easy to do. His blade crackled with a hazy green aura.

    Enzo let out a growl of approval. "That was actually not bad. You didn''t struggle at all." The Demonic Judge smirked as he slipped his hands out of his pockets. "Ok, let''s make a deal. I''m gonna come at you slightly more intensely than yesterday. Your goal is to deal as much damage as you can today. If you manage that, I''ll show you another skill."

    "Deal!" Sero immediately rushed forward, firing mana nukes directly at Enzo. Although he knew it was underhanded, he had a good feeling Enzo wouldn''t be caught off guard.

    However, Enzo stood there and took the nukes head on, becoming engulfed in a green smoke. Sero was shocked, but continued his assault, closing the distance quickly.

    He ceased firing his mana nukes and held a palm out, casting a green Fire Blast that dwarfed and consumed the previous smoke from before. Sero finished up by launching several mana daggers and detonated them, causing the already dark green cloud to become denser. He jumped a few paces back, holding his mana-covered sword in front of him.

    Enzo immediately burst forth from the smoke, not a single scratch on him. The Demonic Judge was in front of Sero''s eyes before he could blink and lifted a tattooed hand up.

    "Come forth, Jury."

    A gigantic golden single-bladed war axe appeared in his hand, nearly the length of Enzo himself. The gleaming golden blade was as big as a car tire and it was quickly coming down on Sero''s head. Enzo''s eyes glowed red as Sero instinctively copied his skill.

    Death. He would die. If that axe hit him, it would be all over. He needed to move.

    By some miracle, Sero managed to leap off to the side as Enzo brought down his axe using the skill Revenge. As soon as the blade fell upon the sand, a deafening boom rang out in the desert. A massive shockwave trembled forth from the center of impact and Sero could barely register the sheer force of power that exploded forward from Enzo''s axe as the attack whipped up a sandstorm.

    After the sand had settled, Sero found himself half-buried, while Enzo was completely fine.

    "Damn, I missed?" The Demonic Judge seemed slightly disappointed.

    "What the fuck, you were actually trying to hit me?" Sero was indignant.

    Enzo smirked as he dispersed his axe. "Hey, you were able to copy two of my skills, so it balances out."

 Chapter 21: Dogs and Cats

    "Two?" Sero ungracefully dug himself out of the sand.

    "Yeah, the Jury axe and Revenge." Enzo made no effort to help him up.

    "Well, I got Revenge, but I don''t think I caught the Jury axe."

    Enzo sighed, and conjured the golden weapon again. Sero''s body buzzed as he copied the skill.

    Up close, the axe was much more intimidating, the lengthy handle solid gold and wrapped in black leather. The blade had a curved edge, a half-crescent that was noticeably sharp. The back of the axe was thick and flattened, like a hammer.

    "Revenge is a good skill since you return all the damage you''ve taken with one attack. I have another skill called Retribution that I''ll show you if you do-"

    Sero raised his arms and conjured the Jury axe. As soon as he grabbed the handle, he fell forward with the axe. It was immensely heavy, and the blade of the axe hit the ground with a boom and submerged itself completely.

    "Holy- What the fuck is up with this?" Sero squeaked as he let go of the handle, causing the axe to dissipate.

    The Demonic Judge snickered. "The Jury requires absurd strength to even lift, but it gets lighter with every sin you atone for." He swung his axe casually with one hand, causing gusts of wind. "The more sins you collect and don''t atone for, the heavier it becomes. It''s also a great weapon against those who have countless sins."

    Sero stared at him. "So, you''ve atoned for a lot of them?"

    "Nope," Enzo let his axe dissolve into golden sand. "I''ve only atoned for a few. I just wield it with my strength."

    A slight nervousness trickled through Sero as he realized what a monster the man in front of him was. It was almost unbelievable when he recalled Enzo stating that Gregor was even stronger than him.

    "You done taking a break?" The Demonic Judge cracked his neck. "We''re gonna keep going until you can''t move again."

    "I... yessir." Sero pushed his feelings aside. Though it was a shame he couldn''t wield Jury yet, Revenge was a nice addition to his arsenal, considering how often he was getting beaten on.

    "Yesterday, you were slowly able to develop a feel for fighting, trusting your instincts as you saw different strategies. Today, keep honing that sense while you play to your strengths." Enzo lazily clenched his fists. "I showed you Revenge so you can deal some damage back to me, provided you can hit me with it."

    Sero nodded, conjuring his blade and covering it with green mana. His body buzzed with power as he activated his Iron Skin, energy and mana efficiency, and enhanced his body with magic.

    <hr>

    Time became meaningless as Sero slowly locked in, trading attacks with Enzo in an endless loop. Granted, Sero was receiving more damage than Enzo, but he pressed on, methodically gathering damage and sending it back with a punch or slash whenever he found an opening. His Perfect Analysis was now second nature to him, giving him Enzo''s predicted attack patterns and optimal counterattacks.

    The Demonic Judge seemed impressed at Sero''s rapid adaption, at one point covering his hands in a dark red flame that Sero copied as Hellfire. The Hellfire was a Demon-exclusive skill, corrupting neutrally-charged mana into a negatively-charged fire that burned forever.

    As Sero covered his retreat with a flurry of explosive mana knives, he quickly charged up a mana nuke in his left hand. Enzo stomped his foot, creating a ring of Hellfire around himself that devoured the knives, denying their explosion. He quickly pushed off with his other foot, leaped straight at Sero.

    Anticipating a punch, Sero quickly swung his sword downwards, trying to catch the Demonic Judge. Enzo inhumanly shifted his weight to the side, lining himself up with Sero''s left hand. A screeching blast of green mana shot forth, catching Enzo directly. The nuke exploded violently, but Enzo pushed forward through the green smoke, his Hellfire-clad hand already cocked back.

    Sero dodged the punch, but the force of the impact threw him off balance. Enzo followed up with a powerful kick that sent him flying back. The ground rushed up to meet him, but Sero twisted his body mid-air, using his momentum to propel himself sideways. He landed gracefully on the ground, rolling to absorb the impact.

    Scrambling to his feet, Sero halted when he was face-to-face with Enzo''s Hellfire fist.

    "Not bad." The Demonic Judge remarked, a rare hint of approval on his face. He dispersed the Hellfire, briefly looking down at his clothes. The only signs of damage was on his suit jacket, which was ripped in several spots. Sero, on the other hand, had multiple cuts and bruises, not to mention his shirt was completely shredded.

    Sero grinned through his fatigue. "I''m getting closer."

    "No, you''re not." Enzo shook his head.

    "When will you stop hurting my feelings?" Sero pouted as he got up and brushed himself off.

    "No, I meant you''re already there." Enzo''s brows furrowed as he slipped his hands into his pockets. "I''m actually amazed. I''m not sure if it''s because of your Scholar abilities, but you''ve managed to keep up with me blow for blow. Your battle sense has become incredibly sharp, and you''ve assimilated that with your Perfect Analysis."

    "Really?" Sero felt a twinge of pride at Enzo''s praise. It was the first time since they met that the Demonic Judge sounded genuine.

    "Don''t get ahead of yourself," The Demonic Judge scowled. "You definitely still have a long way until I feel like you''re ready for the tournament."You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    "Fair enough," Sero conjured his sword as he faced Enzo. "Let''s go again?"

    "Uh-uh," Enzo held out a hand. "It''s already been six hours. I''m off the clock now."

    "Huh?"

    "I train you for six hours a day, no more, no less. Old man doesn''t even pay me, so I''m not gonna bother putting in extra effort." Enzo''s eyes flashed red as he brought them both to the real world.

    The sun was setting as a few mercenaries were standing around the center of the union, mostly unbothered that a half-naked Sero had suddenly appeared.

    "Wait, but I thought we were gonna continue until I couldn''t move anymore."

    "Yeah, and you''ve exceeded my expectations." Enzo sighed. "I was gonna push you to your limits to force some change or something, but you''ve been unconsciously pushing your limits further and further. Do you realize I''ve gotten up to using a quarter of my power now?"

    "What, really?" Sero blinked in surprise. He hadn''t noticed that Enzo''s strength had steadily increased during their training.

    "I guess that''s partly my fault," The Demonic Judge admitted with a grimace. "I''ve been matching my strength in proportion to your growth, so I can understand if it seemed like you hadn''t been making any progress."

    "No, that''s... that''s fine." Sero found it difficult to believe, but Enzo didn''t seem like the type to lie. Plus, even though Sero wanted to train more, he had to respect the Demonic Judge¡¯s bare minimum attitude. It¡¯s what he would¡¯ve done in his situation.

    "Where''s your liaison?"

    "Huh?" Sero quickly glanced around the union, but Amaya wasn''t anywhere. He opened his Shadow Shift and reached in, pulling out his phone.

    "Mnosnter ouatbe on tae way to bou. B-rank. Wukk we kate pickign you up. Ted6 me if yiu find snurger rede." Sero squinted his eyes at her incoherent texts.

    "Guess I''ll be staying here for a bit." Sero sighed and began to head to the lounge area.

    "Or, do you wanna eat?"

    Sero paused and turned around slowly. "Pardon?"

    "I said, wanna grab something to eat? I''m not gonna ask again." Enzo pushed past Sero. "If you''re down, let''s go. My treat."

    <hr>

    The both of them sat at a nearby Korean barbecue restaurant. Enzo had given Sero a spare white button-up dress shirt to replace his shredded rags, which looked strange paired with his athletic shorts.

    The Demonic Judge had ordered their meat for them as well as two beers, to which Sero was reluctant to drink, preferring his water instead.

    "You don¡¯t drink or something?" Enzo raised an eyebrow as he sipped his beverage.

    "I can, it just reminds me of some bad memories." Sero glanced down at the table grill.

    Enzo grunted, but didn¡¯t press further. Sero could feel the atmosphere grow awkward.

    "Uh, thanks for the meal," Sero broke the silence.

    "Don¡¯t take this the wrong way. I¡¯m only doing this cause you¡¯ve been growing ridiculously fast. In just two days, your battle sense has developed and you can keep up with me for hours. It¡¯s important to take breaks in between rigorous training."

    "Oh," Sero wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. "I appreciate it."

    "He acts tough, but he''s actually a softie," The woman next to Enzo suddenly spoke.

    "Shut up." The Demonic Judge scowled. "I''m rewarding him because he impressed me."

    "Wait," Sero leaned back in his chair, his hands outstretched in confusion. "Who are you, and where did you come from?"

    "Oh," Enzo blinked and noticed Sero¡¯s expression. "Kit, this is Sero. Sero, Kit." He didn¡¯t seem shocked at her sudden appearance.

    "Finally nice to meet Enzo''s student," The woman named Kit smiled at Sero, her voice low and sultry. "Kit Felina, how do you do?"

    Sero blinked, surprised by her confident and outgoing nature. "I-I''m doing good. Thank you." Her eyes were a striking contrast of colors, one blue and the other green. He had never seen anyone with such heterochromatic eyes before. Her shoulder-length, curly brown hair framed her fair-skinned face perfectly, and she had a certain air about her that made her stand out in the crowd. Sero couldn''t help but feel both intimidated and attracted in her presence. "You''re stunning."

    "Champion?!" Sero felt Aphiel pop in and immediately severed their connection.

    Kit laughed, a soothing hymn to Sero''s ears. "Thanks. I''m guessing you like women like me?" She asked, clearly unbothered by Sero''s straightforwardness.

    "I- Well, I like women in general. Cute, pretty, beautiful, sexy, I like them all." Sero immediately felt himself growing more comfortable around Kit.

    Kit laughed again. "Oh? I like how honest you are." She leaned over the table closer to Sero. "I like all women, too." She winked playfully.

    Enzo cleared his throat. "Kit, are you going to be joining us?"

    "Hmm?" She sat back and glanced at Enzo. "Well, I''m here, aren''t I?"

    "Goddamn it," The Demonic Judge sighed. "I wished you''d have given me a heads-up before you popped in."

    "Wait, pause," Sero waved his hands around frantically. "Let''s take a step back. I didn''t even see you come in." He stared at Kit.

    "Oh, right." Kit flashed a lopsided smile. "It''s one of my skills."

    Sero began to salivate. "What... what skill?" He wiped his mouth.

    "Hey, Enzo, you were right. He does have a weakness for skills," The brunette lightly hit Enzo''s arm a few times before turning back to Sero. "Well, to start off, my class is called Paradox."

    "Paradox?"

    "Yep," Kit grinned. "I''m basically a walking demonstration of paradoxes. The skill I used to get here was Cat Paradox. Do you know what it''s a reference to?"

    Sero thought for a moment. "Is it... Schrodinger''s Cat?" He asked, recalling the textbook he had read a few days before.

    "He''s smart!" Kit purred and clapped her hands happily. "You''re right. I used it to basically will myself here. It''s more or less a really good teleportation skill."

    "Can... Can you show me?"

    "Nope!" Kit smiled. "I''ll show you one if you reach S-rank."

    "O-oh." Sero was crestfallen, but it helped that Kit was refreshingly warm and cute.

    "Sero," Enzo interrupted. "Kit''s skills are extremely dangerous. Even more risky than if you were to use my Hellfire."

    "Oh, I''m sure he can handle it," Kit slapped Enzo''s arm again. "I''ve dated plenty of men and women who withstood my Cat Paradox on them."

    "It''s different if you use it, but Sero doesn''t have your passives that would mitigate the risks." The Demonic Judge growled.

    "Aw, you''re sweet, looking out for your student. Don''t worry, I won''t show him until he''s ready for it."

    "He¡¯s not my student¨C"

    Their conversation halted when their waiter came over with plates of meat. Sero and Kit licked their lips hungrily as Enzo reached for the tongs.

    "This is a one-time thing," He glared at the both of them. "We will not make this a recurring hangout."

 Chapter 22: Midterm Review

    Sero found himself learning a lot about the pair as he ate dinner with them. Surprisingly, Kit was ranked the 6th strongest S-rank in the world, much to Enzo''s annoyance. The Paradox was also a part of Calypso, a world-renowned guild that Enzo''s younger brother Liam was a part of.

    "How''s he doing?" Enzo wolfed down a chunk of grilled beef.

    "You could always ask him yourself, you know. I''m not his babysitter." Kit replied, pouring out another shot for her and Enzo. She glanced at Sero, pointing the tip of the tequila bottle at him quizzically.

    "No, thanks." Sero shook his head. Kit shrugged, handing a shot glass to Enzo.

    "He hates when I check up on him. Like he doesn''t think I know he can take care of himself." Enzo growled, throwing his head back and downing the shot.

    "Ah, to have a younger sibling." Kit seemed wistful for a moment before she downed her shot as well.

    "I don''t recommend it. Not that I had a choice." The Demonic Judge scowled, but then smirked. "Sero, if by some miracle you manage to face him, I want you to try your absolute best to beat his ass."

    "Oh, uh, I''ll try..." Sero shifted uncomfortably. There were a lot of things running through his mind. Like, how two of the world''s strongest Ascendants were right in front of him, casually drinking and eating.

    "So," Kit put her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her palms as she studied Sero with her mismatched eyes. "Earlier, you said you were revived at the beginning of this month, going from F-rank to A-rank in under two weeks, and now you''re participating in the tournament the last week of June?"

    "Yeah." Sero avoided her gaze. Though he was no stranger to pretty women, Kit was on a whole different level.

    "What an interesting man. And you don''t drink either?"

    "I prefer not to. Just didn''t have good memories associated with it." Sero made a face.

    Kit hummed curiously, keeping her gaze on him. Then, she smiled.

    "Drink with us, then. We''ll give you good memories to replace the bad ones."

    "Hey, don''t peer pressure him," Enzo scowled. "If you''re trying to make him your drinking buddy, just forget it, you alcoholic."

    "Ah, but you can''t keep up with me," Kit pouted and turned her attention to Enzo. "Your Relentless keeps your intoxication from dropping if you drink more, and then you pass out way too fast."

    "Even then, I already have a high tolerance! How is anyone supposed to keep up when you can easily kill 10 bottles of vodka in an hour? Busted-ass Cat Paradox; you cheat using that skill."

    Kit glanced at Sero, sticking her tongue out playfully and giggling. Sero awkwardly smiled back.

    "Ok, I won''t make you drink. But, be honest with me for a second. Are you nervous about the undercover operation?" She suddenly turned serious.

    Sero looked at Enzo in surprise. The Demonic Judge''s face twitched with annoyance.

    "Kit knows about the investigation. She hounded us until we gave in and told her, but the old man thinks she''d be super helpful to us and asked her to cooperate." Enzo explained as he wiped his mouth.

    "Oh," Sero turned back to Kit. "Well, I wasn''t so nervous in the beginning until everyone started asking me how I felt about it."

    "Oops," The Paradox smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that."

    "No, it''s ok," Sero shook his head. "It keeps me grounded about the seriousness of it all. But I mean, you guys will be around too, so I''m somewhat at ease about it."

    "Ooo, I like your honesty," Kit purred as she licked her lips. "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure you''re safe."

    "Th-thanks..." Sero couldn''t help but wonder if this was what it was like to be on the receiving end. Not that he minded.

    <hr>

    The trio continued to eat, drink, and converse, though it was more so Enzo and Kit than it was Sero. It was night by the time they finished and paid out.

    "Fucking hell..." Enzo closed his eyes and rubbed his head as they stepped out into the night. "That was the most expensive bill I''ve ever had to pay."

    "Thanks for the meal." Kit grinned as she playfully punched Enzo''s arm. Sero couldn''t help himself and ran his eyes over her outfit. Wearing tight-fitting dark blue jeans, and a simple black crop-top complete with black boots, Sero didn''t realize he''d been staring a little too long until the Paradox turned around to catch him in the act.

    "Like it?" Kit smiled mischievously and posed. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    "Oh," Sero averted his eyes as his face burned up. "Y-yeah."

    "For fuck''s sake," Enzo growled as he began to walk away. "Stop trying to seduce him. Aren''t you like 30?"

    "I''m 26, same as you, stupid." Kit frowned as she fell into step with Enzo. Sero quickly followed the pair, feeling like a third wheel.

    "Could''ve fooled me," Enzo turned back to Sero. "Need a ride back home?"

    "Oh, yeah-"

    "I can take him!" Kit stepped up to Sero. "You''d rather go with me, wouldn''t you?"

    "Absolutely." Sero blurted without thinking. The Demonic Judge shrugged.

    "Suit yourself. Same time tomorrow, then." Enzo walked off, leaving the two of them standing on the sidewalk.

    "Where do you live?" Kit asked as she offered a hand.

    "Uh, it''s an apartment near the Ascendants Association building." Sero hesitantly took her hand. He wondered if she was going to hold his hand the whole way there.

    "Oh, I think I''ve seen it before. Ok then, close your eyes." Kit purred as her grip tightened.

    "What, why?" Sero asked, but did as he was told. As soon as he closed his eyes, there was a nauseating chill that rushed over him and Sero almost fell to his knees. For a brief moment, it felt as if his head was split in two, and he was upside down. The feeling quickly passed, and Sero felt his body stabilize.

    "We''re here."

    Sero opened his eyes and was shocked to find himself standing in front of his apartment complex. Kit smirked as she let go of his hand.

    "Did you... make me close my eyes so I couldn''t copy that Cat Paradox skill?"

    The Paradox stuck her tongue out playfully. "You got me. I do want to show you eventually, but then you wouldn''t depend on me to get you to places this quickly." She faked a pout, but her mismatched eyes sparkled teasingly.

    "Right...thanks." Sero couldn''t believe how stupefied this woman made him.

    "I''ll see you sometime later, then. Bye!" Kit waved and walked away, leaving him mesmerized.

    "She''s... something else," Sero mumbled as he walked up to the front door of his apartment building. Entering his apartment, he glanced at his phone to catch up on missed notifications. He saw Amaya''s acknowledgement to his earlier text that he was eating with Enzo while Nala had sent him a photo of a watermelon. Sero wasn''t quite sure what to do with it.

    After washing up, Sero laid in bed, his stomach still full from dinner earlier.

    "Aphiel?"

    No answer. Sero assumed she was either upset that he had cut their connection earlier, or she was with the other gods and goddesses.

    "Good night, Aphiel." He closed his eyes.

    "Oh, champion?"

    "Well, hey," Sero replied, slightly relieved that she didn''t sound upset. "Just wondering what you''ve been up to."

    "Ah, I''ve been learning more sorcery from Hecate and Isis. Apparently, it''d be useful for me since I finally have a champion of my own."

    "Sorcery? Aren''t you a goddess? Can''t you just... impose your will to do stuff?"

    "It''s... complicated." Aphiel sounded embarrassed and hesitant to explain.

    "All right," Sero rolled over on his side, deciding not to press any further. "Good luck with that."

    "Thank you, champion."

    <hr>

    The next few days were a blur as Sero gradually settled into his grueling routine. He woke up, got beaten up by Enzo for six hours, and went home, occasionally grabbing dinner with Nala and Amaya or Enzo and Kit.

    "Hey, Sero," Nala said one evening as they ate dinner at a nearby diner. "I heard you''ve been hanging out with Enzo and Kit more. Is everything alright?"

    Sero smirked when he caught Amaya perking up at the mention of the Demonic Judge. "Yeah. There''s not much else I can say. At this point, I''ve gotten Enzo to use a little less than half his strength, and it''s been incredibly difficult to handle. We''ve decided to focus on training my stamina now."

    "Hmm." Nala quietly studied him. "You do seem a bit more... sharp? Like you''re aware of yourself."

    "I don''t- I''m not sure what that means."

    "You seem stronger." Amaya clarified for her. "Not to speak for Nala, but in a little under two weeks, I''ve noticed your mana aura has significantly grown denser."

    "My mana aura?"

    Amaya nodded. "Nala and I have advanced hybrid classes. Her Shadereaper is a hybrid of the Thief and Mage, whereas my Spellblade is the Warrior and Mage. All Mages have the Spellsense passive, which allows us to see the mana aura of other Ascendants, among other things."

    "Oh, that''s cool." Sero recalled the brief lesson Amaya gave him over classes a while back.

    "Yeah, you seem to be getting a lot more control over your power," Nala chipped in. "It''s actually quite impressive."

    "I hadn''t noticed it," Sero was slightly surprised. "Guess getting beaten up for hours on end really does work."

    "Anyways, I have some good news and some bad news." Amaya shared a look with Nala. "Which one do you want first?"

    "Gimme the bad news first."

    "Well," Amaya chewed on the nail of her thumb. "The bad news is, you can''t sign the lease for your new penthouse suite until the first day of the tournament this week. And your gold reward is also still pending. Not to mention, there''s virtually no trace of your father."

    Sero opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

    "Oh," he finally said after a while. "I hope the good news makes up for the bad."

    "The good news is... the association will be paying for your meals starting today until the end of next month!" Amaya smiled apologetically.

    "There was no good news, was there?"

    "Sorry. I was hoping to sugarcoat it as much as possible." The liaison looked down at her glass.

    "Well, we just wanted to also let you know that we''re here for you. How are you feeling about the tournament?" Nala looked at him, a subtle hint of concern in her eyes.

    Sero leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily. He wanted to be honest and admit that he was growing more and more anxious each time someone asked him how he felt regarding the event. To him, it seemed like everyone had no faith in his abilities.

    "A little worried, because I feel like if I get the chance to fight against Elena, I''m going to throw the match."

    Both women stared at him with varying levels of disgust and disappointment.

 Chapter 23: Midterm Fight Day â€“ Part 1

    Finally, it was the day of the tournament. Sero felt extremely jittery as he rode in Amaya''s car towards the center of the city, or as he learned a little while ago, the zone.

    "I can''t believe the world changed that much." Sero muttered to himself, gazing through the window at the buildings that seemed to appear grander the closer they approached the center of the zone.

    "Yeah, I figured you''d know about how the world works by now, but that''s a lot of information for you to learn in just a month, huh?"

    Sero grunted. Because of the apocalypse a year ago, the rifts caused massive geographical changes, most noticeably the merging and formation of 2 giant continents. World leaders quickly gathered to discuss territorial authorities, which stagnated until the rise of the Ascendants. The new power forced political leaders to cooperate, resulting in the 2 hemispheres to have a nation president each. The hemispheres were then divided into four sectors; north, east, south, and west. Each sector had a leader, and were further divvied into numbered zones with their own leaders.

    "So, if I recall correctly, we''re in the 25th zone that used to be... Texas?"

    "Right," Amaya nodded. "It was decided earlier this year, so people are still adjusting to the new labels and whatnot. I will say though, it has been easier to adapt since the world is just two pieces of land now. Citizens of the 25th affectionately refer to this zone as the ''Hotspot''."

    "Stupid name. Why?" Sero grew more nervous seeing the crowds of people flooding the streets towards the stadium.

    Amaya chuckled. "First, it''s the place with the most monster outbreaks. Well, I say that, but you already know that monster outbreaks are better contained now than when all of us were new to this." She swerved hard to dodge an incoming bike. "Second, it''s also the place where a majority of the top 10 S-ranks reside. For some reason, the 25th takes pride in going big with everything. Makes me wonder if those two things are related to one another."

    The stadium loomed in the distance, a massive arena that could easily fit thousands of spectators. Sero gazed at the enormous screens that displayed various messages, catching his name on one of them. The air was electric with anticipation and excitement as the crowd streamed towards the entrance. Amaya maneuvered her car through the bustling throng, expertly avoiding pedestrians and other vehicles. "We''re almost there."

    "You got this, Sero!"

    Both he and Amaya screamed as they whirled around to find Kit in the backseat, grinning.

    "Hey! How ya doing? Ready to fight?" she asked cheerfully, as if she hadn''t just popped in out of nowhere.

    "Holy shit, Kit. You have to stop doing that." Sero felt his heart racing.

    "I almost hit someone." Amaya let out a weak whimper.

    "Ah, sorry, sorry. Just excited to see my little bookworm in his first tournament." Kit glanced at Sero with a sparkle in her eyes.

    "I don''t even like books." Sero muttered as he avoided her eyes, catching the frown on Amaya''s face at the last second.

    "Well, I just wanted to pop in and cheer you on, since your teacher has me on perimeter duty." Kit made a face. "Good luck in the first round!"

    "Wait, Enzo''s not coming?" Sero saw Amaya''s head perk up.

    "Nope. Him and Gregor are coordinating with the Special Protections division to patrol the 25th with the military. It''s funny cause the military thinks that it''s another normal security job and Enzo is so annoyed at their ignorance."

    "Yeah, that... sounds like him."

    Kit gave Sero a sympathetic smile. "I''ll tell your teacher that you miss him!"

    "I really don''t¨C"

    "Also, before I go, I need to let you and Amaya know that the Janitors have placed two of their own in the stadiums in case anything happens today."

    "Oh?" Amaya finally guided the car out of the crowd and pulled into the dimly lit designated parking garage for competitors. "Who?"

    "Ah, Cassandra and..." Kit''s face dropped with distaste. "Max."

    "Him, out of all people?" Amaya seemed to feel the same way.

    "Who''s Max?" Sero glanced between the both of them.

    "Someone you''ll hopefully won''t have to meet. Between Enzo and him, I''m actually glad that you were paired with Enzo instead." Kit patted Sero''s head. "Look, there''s the entrance."

    Sero directed his eyes to where Kit was pointing, realizing they were approaching the grand, ornate double doors of the stadium. He turned back to see Kit had disappeared.

    "Ugh, I hate when she does that," Sero grumbled, leaning back in his seat.

    <hr>

    After parking, Amaya accompanied Sero to the entrance, where a short line of the other participants were being checked in. He could feel his anxiety rising the closer they got, the crowd of spectators growing louder as they approached the stadium entrance. A burly man at the front of the line looked Sero up and down, glancing back at his Ascendant ID and checking off his name on a clipboard before handing him a sturdy black card. "Good luck, kid," he muttered before moving on to the next person.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    The pair entered the stadium back entrance, the cheers of the crowd swirling around them as they navigated their way through the brightly lit tunnels leading to the locker rooms. The longer they walked, the more Sero began to doubt himself.

    "Champion, I believe in you. You''ve worked harder than I''ve ever seen you done in the past two weeks." Aphiel said, as if sensing his feelings. Sero let out a small breath, appreciating her reassurance. At least, he thought she was.

    "Thanks, Aphiel."

    "So, they''ll probably reiterate what I said earlier, but the tournament spans over three days. Today will cut the number of participants from 32 to 16, tomorrow will further reduce from 16 to 8, and finally on Sunday, it will go from 8 to 4 down to the last 2." Amaya gave Sero a side eye. "Don''t stress too much. Just give your best, ok?"

    "Yep," Sero kept his gaze forward. "I''ll do my best and scout the competition to look for anyone shady."

    They finally reached the waiting area before the locker rooms, where a couple of officials were organizing the participants into their respective areas. The waiting area was decently spacious, with a row of chairs lining one wall, a few vending machines on the other, and a couple of couches and tables in the center. The floor was a polished marble, reflecting the bustle of activity around them. Behind the officials were two doors to the locker rooms, where participants were entering to change and prepare themselves. Above the doors were two large screen TVs that Sero guessed would broadcast the matches, though they were currently playing advertisements from guilds. To the far left were two doors that led to the arena of the stadium, each door most likely guiding the contestants in opposite paths. To the right was the exit, leading back to the main stadium.

    "Well, good luck. I''ll be watching from the bleachers." Amaya gave Sero a pat on the back before she left.

    Sero took a couple of deep breaths before he turned his attention to the other Ascendants in the waiting area. They were a diverse bunch, ranging from young teenagers to middle-aged adults, and all looked equally nervous and determined. He spotted the four suspects Amaya had described and still felt as if they weren''t involved with the Culling. The two doors to the arena stood like sentinels, beckoning the participants forward, but for now, they were forced to wait their turn.

    He glanced up at the TVs to distract himself, determining that the crowd now didn''t seem suspicious at all as he sat in a chair against the wall. Each of the guilds had created their own commercials, showing off their strengths and boasting about their chances of winning. Sero couldn''t help but feel a pang of jealousy as he recognized some of the faces from the videos as his competitors.

    The murmuring of his competitors suddenly lowered, causing him to look away. Sero followed everyone''s gaze to the tunnel entrance, where he saw a beautiful woman walk in.

    He blinked when he recognized her as Elena Hale from the headshot photo Amaya had shown him a few weeks ago. The woman had long, curly black hair that framed her delicate features perfectly, and her fair skin seemed to glow in the stadium lights. She was dressed in a sleek, form-fitting black business suit and slacks that hugged her curves, and she moved with the grace of a dancer. As she walked over to the officials, her brown eyes swept across the waiting area, meeting each person''s eyes with a piercing gaze before moving on to the next. Sero felt a strange mixture of awe and nervousness as he watched her.

    "Oh... that champion seems very strong." Even Aphiel seemed amazed.

    "Well, that reassures me a lot, thanks."

    After checking in with the officials, Elena took a seat on the couches in the middle of the room, crossing her legs and pulling out a book. Sero got the impression she didn''t need to use the locker rooms for the first day.

    "Hey, Sero! Glad to see you again!" A familiar voice caught his attention.

    Sero glanced back towards the tunnel entrance, seeing the boyish face of Raul grinning at him. Sero''s mood soured, but immediately improved when he caught sight of Kanna right behind him.

    "Hey," Sero waved at them as they approached. The pair seemed ready for combat, with Raul in a white t-shirt and athletic shorts, his hands wrapped in bandages. Kanna was dressed in a form-fitting, black kevlar bodysuit, her short black hair tied up in a bun.

    "You ready for this?" Kanna asked as she sat down next to him.

    "Of course he is!" Raul interjected before he could reply, sitting down on the other side of Sero. "I''m sure he''s itching to fight against me!"

    "Not really, but yeah, I''m ready." Sero suavely replied to Kanna, masking his nervousness.

    The quiet murmur in the room abruptly ceased as everyone''s attention was directed back at the tunnel entrance. Sero sensed a massive pressure approaching, which made even Elena break away from her book.

    Reminiscent of the Demonic Judge, his neatly groomed white hair and bright red eyes were the first thing that Sero noticed. Liam was dressed in a solid black hoodie and black shorts, a stark contrast to Enzo''s professional wear. He casually strolled to the center of the room, hands in his hoodie pockets, and plopped down right next to Elena. He slouched on the couch and stared up at the screens, completely oblivious to the stares from the other participants.

    The entire room was silent as the Ascendants kept their eyes on the two S-ranks. Even the officials standing near the doors were quiet in the presence of the two powerful individuals.

    Elena gave Liam a quick glance before returning to her book as if nothing happened. Sero could literally feel the weight of tension in the air.

    "I would love the chance to go against that guy," Raul muttered underneath his breath.

    Sero had to disagree. If Liam was anything like Enzo, then he wanted nothing more than to avoid facing the Demonic Judge''s brother.

    The waiting area continued to remain silent aside from the occasional whispers or coughs as the rest of the participants arrived. When the last of the Ascendants filed in, the officials gathered at the front of the room to instruct the participants.

    As they droned on about how today''s schedule would run two matches at a time to get through the participants, Sero scanned his competition, trying to catch anything out of the ordinary. His Perfect Analysis returned nothing odd, confirming his suspicions that none of the participants here were involved.

    "And so, in about 10 minutes, we will begin with calling out your names to enter the arena," The head official finished up. He wore a black cap, blue polo shirt, and khaki shorts, the staple uniform for the event affiliates. Sero noticed he had a scar underneath his eye that looked recent and wondered if he was also an Ascendant. He trained his Perfect Analysis on the officials and realized that a good portion of them had traces of mana or energy residue.

    "Hey, are some of the officials Ascendants, too?" Sero leaned over and whispered to Kanna.

    "Huh? Of course. Ascendants are needed to handle other Ascendants. I''m just wondering why they never dispatched at least one S-rank considering there''s three of them here." Raul butted in, much to Sero''s annoyance. "At any rate, it should be fine, since Elena and Liam could be expected to step in if things were to get out of hand."

    "Cool." Sero leaned back in his chair as he waited for his turn.

 Chapter 24: Midterm Fight Day â€“ Part 2

    Sero, much like the other waiting Ascendants, kept himself busy by watching the matches on the TV screens. The first four Ascendants were called up and had entered the arena.

    On the screen, Sero could see the entirety of what the stadium and arena looked like. The bare dirt arena itself was sectioned into semi-circles by a shimmering wall of what looked like opaque white mana, a sight that made Sero wonder how it was constructed. The stadium seats were filled with spectators, but Sero could only focus on the arena itself. The four Ascendants were paired off and placed in either of the semi-circles, cleverly enabling two matches to occur side by side.

    The first match was between an A-rank Warrior named Lukas and a B-rank Mage named Lily. Lukas had a calm, composed air about him, while Lily looked nervous and twitchy. As the referee announced the start of the match, both combatants took a deep breath and stepped forward. They exchanged glances for a moment before charging at each other. The crowd erupted into cheers as their fists and spells clashed in the center of the arena.

    On the other side was a fight between an A-rank Vanguard named Coen and an A-rank Guardian named Braddock. From the site Sero referenced to, he learned both of their classes were advanced hybrids; the Vanguard a mix of a Warrior and Brawler whereas the Guardian was a mix of a Brawler and Healer. The two combatants had already engaged in a brief clash, with both sides seemingly evenly matched. The crowd cheered on as they fought, their skills on full display.

    Sero clicked his tongue in vexation, his Perfect Analysis and Copy unable to work through the screens. It would''ve been perfect if he was able to copy the skills from both matches, or least use his analysis.

    "Why can''t I use my skills in front of a screen?"

    "Oh, perhaps it''s because your abilities require you to absorb mana through your sight?" Aphiel popped in his thoughts.

    "Absorb mana through my sight? I thought my abilities didn''t use mana."

    "Well, yes and no. Hecate discovered that your abilities do not use mana, but does require it in order to add that information to your database, so to speak."

    Sero had to process her words for a moment.

    "So, like... it''s if I wanted to copy a painting, but I need the exact colors to replicate it?"

    "That''s- Well, I presume if you want to think of it like that then, yes." Aphiel collected her thoughts. "For example, Ma''at''s champion. You were able to copy his skills because you saw the raw mana he used to perform them, resulting in you being able to memorize the formula used to cast it."

    "That makes sense," Sero begrudgingly admitted. "Guess the Scholar isn''t as broken as I thought it was."

    "To be honest, champion, you are the very first Scholar in existence. There is little to no information about your class even within the Records of Divinity."

    Sero was about to ask about Aphiel''s words when a thundering cheer boomed from one of the televisions, its distant origin muted from above. One of the matches had ended, and Sero couldn''t help but shift his attention to the screen. The victor was the B-rank Mage Lily, who''d defeated the A-rank Warrior Lukas in a surprising twist.

    "Amazing," Raul said in astonishment. "That Mage was able to play to her strengths and fight him at a distance. I was betting on the Warrior to win, but I''ll gladly take this loss."

    On screen, the crowd cheered as Lily stepped forward, her face flushed from exertion. The referee placed a hand on her shoulder in congratulations before turning to face the other side of the arena. The A-rank Vanguard Coen and the A-rank Guardian Braddock were still locked in combat, their fighting styles a sight to behold.

    Sero turned his attention back to Raul, who seemed to be deep in thought. "So, who do you think will win in the other match, then?" he asked.

    "Both are advanced hybrids of the Brawler class, but the Vanguard has a slight edge due to his Warrior mix," Raul murmured sagely. "I believe that the Vanguard will win."

    The crowd cheered as Braddock the Guardian was able to withstand Coen''s broadsword slash with his shield and countered with a mana-empowered shield bash straight to his face, knocking him away. Braddock immediately followed up by leaping up into the air and bringing down another mana shield bash down onto Coen, ending the match. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "Ah," Raul nodded as the referee announced Braddock as the victor. "It seems I was wrong again."

    Sero questioned how Raul managed to advance to an S-rank.

    The match participants were then escorted to the infirmary, with the victors in better shape than their opponents. Shortly after, the winners returned to the waiting area where the remaining Ascendants congratulated them.

    For the next few hours, Sero waited nervously as he watched each match on the screen. His own upcoming match was the last of the day, and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. Even though Enzo hadn''t exactly held back during their training, Sero spiraled in his thoughts, wondering if he would slip up and make any mistakes.

    "Champion... trust yourself and your abilities." Aphiel seemed to sense his anxiety.

    "Right. Thanks, Aphiel." Sero could feel himself calming down already. Whether it was due to his Rationality or Aphiel herself, Sero was thankful for the reassurance.

    "Raul Delgato. Please, come forward and enter." One of the officials called out.

    "Finally!" Raul got up and grinned at Sero. "I''ve been itching to fight."

    "Hayes Earl. Enter the door next to Raul."

    "Good luck." Sero nodded to Raul.

    After the pair entered, the officials turned back to the Ascendants again.

    "Kanna Yu. Come up and enter."

    "Wishing you the absolute best of luck. I know you''ll win." Sero dropped his voice a few octaves. Kanna smiled awkwardly and quickly walked up to the doors, her opponent already heading towards their arena.

    Sero watched the screens as Raul faced off against the A-rank Savageblade Hayes, whereas Kanna stood before the A-rank Disruptor Sarah Leen. A quick search on his phone explained the Savageblade was a pure-line advancement of the Warrior class and the Disruptor was a hybrid advancement of the Archer and Thief classes. Interestingly, Kanna''s Deadshot was also a hybrid of the Thief and Archer classes and Raul''s Rage Fist was a pure-line advancement of the Brawler class.

    The match between Raul and Hayes was intense, with both fighters exchanging blows at a ferocious pace. It seemed that Raul had the upper hand with his Rage Fist''s close combat, preventing Hayes from swinging his giant serrated sword properly. Raul, however, underestimated Hayes''s agility, and a well-timed spinning kick sent Raul flying across the arena, leaving him momentarily stunned. The crowd gasped as they saw their chance and cheered on the Savageblade.

    Meanwhile, the gunfight between Kanna and Sarah was just as exciting, with both girls moving at lightning speed, their guns blazing. Kanna''s dual pistols fired off rapid mana railguns, but Sarah was able to avoid the shots using yellow mana smoke bombs, retaliating with shots from her assault rifle. The crowd cheered as Kanna managed to dodge several of Sarah''s shots, but the woman in the black kevlar was quickly running out of mana for her defense.

    The match between Raul and Hayes intensified further, with both fighters now battling it out in close combat. Raul''s rage-fueled attacks were relentless, but Hayes''s agility and knowledge of the blade allowed him to parry and riposte with deadly precision. The crowd roared as they witnessed a clash of titans, each fighter pushing the other to their limits.

    Slowly, but surely, Raul''s skills overtook Hayes''s defenses, the Rage Fist''s orange colored mana swirling around his body as it enhanced every strike. The Savageblade''s movements became more and more desperate, but it was clear that Raul was in control of the match. The crowd began to chant his name, urging him on.

    In the other arena, Kanna and Sarah''s gunfight continued unabated. Kanna was now out of mana for defense, and her movements were becoming more and more reckless as she tried to close the distance between her and Sarah. Sarah, seeing an opportunity, switched to her pistols and began to fire at Kanna at point-blank range. Kanna dodged and weaved, her agility and training as a Deadshot proving invaluable.

    Sero watched in amazement as Kanna threw both her pistols at Sarah with deadly precision. The Disruptor was caught off guard by the sudden action, as was everyone else in the arena. Sarah managed to shoot the pistols away, but by then, Kanna was already in front of her.

    Holding out a palm, Kanna fired a point-blank mana nuke with the last of her reserves, blasting Sarah away into the wall of mana. The Disruptor smacked against the barrier, hard, and slumped on the ground, unconscious. The shockwave caught Kanna as well, launching her away from the center of the explosion, but she quickly pivoted into a backflip and landed in a crouching position.

    "Huh, maybe I should remember to do that next time I fire a point-blank nuke..." Sero muttered to himself as the crowd clamored in an uproar. As Kanna''s match ended, Raul''s fight was reaching a climax. The Rage Fist had Hayes backed up against a wall, relentlessly battering him with powerful blows. The Savageblade''s sword lay on the ground, useless, as he struggled to defend against Raul''s onslaught. The crowd chanted Raul''s name, urging him to finish the match.

    Suddenly, Hayes managed to summon a small amount of mana and launched a desperate counterattack, calling his serrated blade to him. Raul was caught off guard, and the blade of the Savageblade sliced through his defenses, opening a deep gash in his chest. Raul stumbled back, surprised and hurt, but not defeated. The crowd held its breath as Raul gathered mana for one final attack. It seemed like Hayes had the win as he swung his sword down faster than Raul could block.

    If it hadn''t been for Enzo''s training, Sero would''ve never been able to catch it.

    In a split second, Raul managed to lean back slightly, taking another slash as he simultaneously fired an empowered punch. The blow connected with Hayes''s chest, sending him flying across the arena. As the crowd gasped, Raul recovered from the impact and dashed towards his opponent. With a roar, he leapt into the air, concentrating a dense amount of orange mana around his fist before bringing it crashing down on Hayes. The resulting impact produced a giant expanding ring of mana as a resounding boom echoed across the crescent arena.

    When the dust settled, Raul stood over Hayes, his fist still cocked back, ready to deliver another blow. But to his surprise, the Savageblade wasn''t moving. He had won. The crowd erupted into a frenzy of cheers and applause as Raul raised his head in triumph.

    "Am I even on the same level as them?" Sero wondered, slightly worried for his turn.

 Chapter 25: Midterm Fight Day â€“ Part 3

    Gradually, the Ascendants in the waiting room began to thin out as the first day of the tournament progressed. Both Kanna and Raul came back to check on Sero and cheer him on for his upcoming match before they ventured into a different waiting area for the victors. Sero kept watching the matches on screen, studying and memorizing each of the victor''s moves and skills as best he could without his Perfect Analysis and Copy.

    Before he knew it, there were eight people in the room. Including himself, the remaining Ascendants were the four suspects, a tanned muscular bald man, Liam, and Elena.

    "Elena Hale, Melissa Holden, you guys are up next."

    Melissa stood up, giving Sero the chance to analyze her. She had short, blonde hair, a petite frame, and black, small-rimmed glasses over her green eyes. Wearing a brown cloth robe tied at the waist, she reminded Sero of a monk.

    The two women entered their respective doors, Melissa visibly nervous to face the S-rank. Sero sympathized with her, considering he had trained with Enzo, but even that was just training.

    "Pierce Roy, Liam, please enter now."

    The second suspect, Pierce, was a lanky man, with his long brown hair pulled back into a man bun and a goatee that hugged his chin. He wore a navy blue windbreaker and khaki shorts, causing Sero to wonder just what kind of outfits the Ascendants here thought were combat-appropriate.

    If Melissa was anxious, Pierce looked absolutely terrified as he trailed behind Liam, reluctant to enter his door as his blue eyes shifted back and forth from the arena entrance and the exit.

    As the contestants came onto the arena, Sero discreetly used his Perfect Analysis to check on the remaining competitors in the room. Minnie Stout, the A-rank Sharpshooter, seemed relaxed, probably because the two biggest threats were out of the room. She was short and stocky, with fiery red curly hair and dark green eyes. She had freckles, and wore black leather leggings and a pullover shawl.

    The A-rank Raider, Ester Pines, seemed equally as relaxed, boldly taking a seat on the couches after the S-ranks departed. She had cropped brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a chiseled jawline, wearing a gray tank top and blue biker shorts that showed off her well-defined muscles.

    Sero finally focused his attention on the bald man, who was sitting in his row near the front, right next to the arena doors. He was huge, about the same size as Gregor, and his outfit consisted of dark blue jeans and a fitted white t-shirt that seemed to stretch against his bulging muscles. His arms were folded and eyes were closed, as if deep in thought. Or resting. Considering the rest of the competition, Sero could understand if the man felt confident about the last two matches.

    As he directed his gaze back to the screens, Sero felt very conflicted. On one hand, he was reluctant to fight either of the two women, since they were pretty cute. On the other hand, he didn''t want to face the giant man either.

    He shook his head, deciding that he''d worry about that later. For now, the matches were about to begin.

    On one of the screens, the crowd cheered loudly as Elena stepped into the crescent arena with an air of confidence. Melissa quivered as she watched the Scaletamer approach. Sero briefly took out his phone to research Melissa''s Exorcist class, which was a pure-line advancement of the Mage. Sero looked back up at the other screen and was met with surprise as he saw Liam standing alone, his hands in his hoodie pockets.

    "Due to Pierce Roy''s forfeit, Liam wins by default! He will move on to the next round!" The announcer declared, adding fuel to the cries of the audience. Liam''s bored expression never changed as he turned and walked off the arena. "The next match will be moved up to accommodate the empty half! Minnie Stout versus Ester Pines!"

    "Fuck." Sero thought to himself as he watched the two women get up and enter the arena doors. Although he would rather fight either of the two women, he had to admit that the bald man was still a better alternative to fighting Liam.

    On the other side, Elena stood patiently, her sharp gaze bearing down on the fidgeting Melissa. As Minnie and Ester finally took their places on the other side of the mana wall, the announcer began a countdown.

    "Ascendants, get ready! The matches will begin in 5, 4, 3, 2..."

    As he finished the countdown, Minnie and Ester immediately engaged in battle. Minnie''s Sharpshooter class was a pure-line advancement of the Archer, while Ester''s Raider class was a hybrid advancement of the Warrior and Thief.

    Minnie conjured two silver pistols, running around and raining gunfire at her opponent. Ester quickly created two single-bladed short axes and casted what seemed like a similar skill to Sero''s Iron Skin. The Sharpshooter''s shots glanced off Ester''s skin and axe blades, though it seemed like they stung regardless.

    Meanwhile, on the other side, Elena calmly stood with her arms folded, as if waiting for Melissa to make the first move. Melissa was clearly intimidated by the Scaletamer''s presence and stature. She was breathing heavily, her eyes darting around the arena nervously.

    Finally, the Exorcist seemed to crack under the pressure, dashing back to create some distance between them. Melissa pressed her palms together as if in prayer, and a swirling blue light began to envelope her. Elena remained motionless, watching her gather her mana.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    As Melissa completed the ritual, a blue aura surrounded her, and she let out a triumphant shout. She pointed her hands at the ground, and a blue portal appeared nearby. With a final flourish, she sent a gust of wind towards Elena, knocking her back several steps. The wind dissipated, revealing that Melissa had teleported through the portal, appearing behind the Scaletamer.

    Elena was unfazed, regaining her balance and performing a quick pirouette to face Melissa. The Exorcist had a moment of surprise, but recovered as she sent a tangling mass of blue chains towards the Scaletamer. With a smile, Elena snapped her fingers, opening a jade portal behind her.

    Seconds later, a massive olive reptile roared forth from the rift, smacking the chains away with a slap of its hulking tail. Sero got a clearer view of the creature as it landed with a deep and resonating thud, almost drowning out the cheers of the audience.

    "That is... one massive alligator." Sero figured the reptile was slightly larger than a school bus, considering how dwarfish the two women were compared to it.

    Elena''s familiar roared, causing Melissa to freeze in fear. The gargantuan beast stomped towards the Exorcist, who immediately raised her hands in surrender. As the announcer declared Elena the victor, Sero turned his attention back to the other screen to see how Minnie and Ester''s match was going.

    The two women were now engaged in close-quarters combat, their weapons clashing and sparks flying. Minnie''s pistols had a clear advantage in range, but Ester''s axe allowed her to counterattack with devastating force. After several minutes of back-and-forth, the match came to an abrupt end when Minnie stumbled backwards, tripping over her own feet. Ester quickly took advantage of the opportunity, delivering a powerful overhead swing to the head that caused the Sharpshooter to crumple to the ground, unconscious.

    The audience erupted in cheers as the Raider stood triumphant over her fallen opponent. Even Sero couldn''t help but admire the skill and cunning Ester had shown in the match. As the announcer declared Ester the winner, she bowed gracefully to the crowd.

    "Get ready, you two." One of the officials nodded to Sero and the bald man.

    Sero realized his leg had been bouncing up and down for a while. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling the tension slip away from his body. His Rationality went into effect, clearing his mind of his worries and doubts. Sero glanced at his phone once more, looking at his texts.

    Amaya had wished him luck while Nala had sent him a photo of a baby turtle. He still wasn¡¯t exactly sure why the Shadereaper continued to send him random photos, but in that moment, it was comforting.

    "Sero Kassel, Sal Tones, you guys are up."

    Steeling himself, Sero got up and followed the bald man up to the arena doors, making sure to store his valuables in his Shadow Shift pocket. His opponent gave him a single glance before entering the door on the right, a hint of pity in his beige eyes. Sero fought the urge to scowl as he entered the door on the left.

    As the door clanged shut behind him, there was an official waiting for him in the corridor. She was a young woman, shorter than Sero, wearing the same cap, polo, and khakis as the officials inside. Her blonde ponytail was strung through the hole on the back of her cap as she turned to face Sero.

    "Ready?"

    "Yeah," he lied, trying to look cool in front of her.

    With a nod, the blonde turned on her heel and briskly ventured deeper into the fluorescent lit hallway. The sounds of their steps echoed ominously, as if taunting Sero.

    "So¡­ you uh, do this often?" He asked, trying to make conversation.

    "Oh, I''ve been here for a while now," the blonde replied, not looking back. "Since the very first tournament last year."

    "You like working at these events?"

    Sero saw the blonde shrug. "It''s not like it''s fun or anything, but the pay is pretty good. Especially for non-Ascendants like me."

    "Flirting before the match, huh? My little bookworm can''t be stopped."

    Sero yelped and turned his head to see Kit walking alongside him with a mischievous grin. She was wearing the same outfit as the officials, which Sero had to admit, looked really good on her.

    "What the fuck are you doing here?" He hissed, keeping an eye on the woman in front of them.

    "Huh?" Kit tilted her head as she stared at him with her mismatched eyes. "I can¡¯t just pop in to say ¡®good luck¡¯?" She pursed her lips together in a pout that made Sero blush.

    "Not that I don¡¯t appreciate it, but are you even allowed to be here right now?" Sero couldn¡¯t understand why Kit wasn¡¯t as cautious as he was.

    "Are you worried about that girl in front of us?" Kit gave him a reassuring smile. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve altered her perception a bit, so she currently thinks it¡¯s still just you and her."

    Sero stared at Kit blankly. "H-how?"

    "Cat Paradox."

    "That doesn¡¯t explain anything. In fact, I have more questions."

    "Well, that¡¯s all you need to know for now," The Paradox stuck out her tongue playfully. "I¡¯m just here to wish you luck! Oh, and to pass along a message from your teacher."

    "He¡¯s not my- Ugh, what¡¯d he say?"

    "Umm¡­" Kit tapped her chin with a finger. "He said something like, ¡®If you lose, I will beat your ass even worse than training¡¯, to paraphrase."

    Sero could feel the pressure on him grow heavier, but the threat of getting pummeled by the Demonic Judge was strangely motivating for all the wrong reasons.

    "Oh, and he also said that if you won, he¡¯d introduce you to the other members in his branch so you could copy their skills."

    Sero nearly tripped over his feet. Now that was a good incentive.

    "I¡¯m a little jealous," Kit smiled wryly at Sero¡¯s reaction. "It¡¯s not like me to get in the way of a teacher and student, but I want to reward you, too."

    "Huh?" Sero wiped the drool from his mouth.

    The corners of her mouth teased a smile. "Let¡¯s see¡­ make it to the semi-finals and I¡¯ll finally show you the Cat Paradox. How¡¯s that?"

    "Deal." Sero was already imagining all the juicy skills he¡¯d be able to copy.

    Kit giggled and winked at him. "Then, do your best, my little bookworm. Make sure you thank your guide too."

    "Huh?" Sero faced forward to find himself already at the arena entrance. He turned back to Kit to find her gone. The Paradox had tricked him again.

    "I hate when she does that." Sero scowled.

    "What was that?" The blonde woman asked him as she gripped the door handle.

    "Nothing," Sero sighed, stretching his body and gathering himself to enter the arena. "Thanks for the escort."

 Chapter 26: Midterm Fight Day â€“ Final Part

    Sero thought that it would look the same as what he saw on the screens prior, but as he stepped into the arena, he discovered that that wasn¡¯t the case.

    The massive wall of mana had been taken down, opening up more room for the match. Sero felt his anxiety coming back as he walked onto the dirt, taking in the enormity of the arena. Far ahead in front of him, Sal Tones was already waiting for Sero, appearing relaxed as he stood there watching. Sero focused on the shining glare atop his bald head.

    The clamoring of the crowd reverberated around the stadium, preventing Sero from thinking clearly. His heart thumped in his chest, his breathing shallow and quick. He trudged on, approaching his opponent who folded his arms expectantly. A man wearing the official¡¯s outfit that Sero assumed to be the referee jogged up to the pair, a whistle around his neck.

    "Before the match starts, there are some ground rules you guys need to be aware of." The man glanced from Sero to Sal. "First, no killing blows. Second, do not continue if your opponent can¡¯t fight anymore, or they surrender. Third, when I blow the whistle, both of you must cease fighting. Got it?"

    Both Sero and his opponent nodded.

    "Good, then the match will start soon. Take your places however you want. Do not use anything until the announcer finishes his count."

    The referee jogged back to safety, holding up his hand in a thumbs up.

    "Sorry in advance." Sal finally spoke, his voice a deep bass. He unfolded his arms and turned to walk a few paces away to create some distance. Sero¡¯s eyes twitched in annoyance at his opponent¡¯s confident arrogance. His irritation began to quell his nervousness.

    "You got this, champion!" Aphiel cheered in his thoughts.

    "Thanks." Sero muttered under his breath as he widened the distance between them as well. His Rationality activated, clearing his mind of negative emotions and distractions. As he turned around, Sero took a deep breath and relaxed his body. Enzo¡¯s words came floating back to him.

    "Don¡¯t give your opponent a chance to breathe. Blitz them before they understand what you¡¯re capable of, but don¡¯t burn yourself out, either."

    "Here we go folks, the last match of the day! Sal Tones, the buff and burly Siege Guard versus Sero Kassel, the mysterious Scholar!" The announcer seemed like he was forcing energy into his words. The crowd cheered, though it wasn¡¯t as loud as it was towards the beginning of the tournament. Just as well, since Sero didn¡¯t need the added pressure.

    "Your greatest strength is your unpredictability and your copy cheat skill. If your opponent can¡¯t figure you out, then they¡¯ll have a hard time coming up with a way to beat you."

    Sero placed his left foot forward while raising the heel of his right foot, slightly crouching. Sal watched him motionlessly, but with a wary gaze. The announcer began to count down.

    "5!"

    "Even if it seems like you have no chance of winning, keep pushing." Sero tensed the muscles in his legs.

    "4!"

    "It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s training, a friendly spar, or a street brawl." He gazed at Sal, who made no attempt to prepare himself.

    "3!"

    "Fight with your life on the line, and remember one thing." The cries of the audience faded away in the background as Sero concentrated.

    "2!"

    "When you get hit, hit them back harder."

    "1!"

    Sero immediately pushed off his right foot, launching forward while simultaneously activating Perfect Analysis, Iron Skin, Inspiration, and his energy and mana efficiencies. A look of shock flashed across Sal¡¯s face as he registered the speed at which Sero came towards him.

    Reacting quickly, Sal immediately brought both arms towards his right shoulder, as if miming carrying a rocket launcher. Streams of dark blue mana swirled around his hands and soon coalesced into a massive navy blue cannon that rested on his shoulders. The Siege Guard dropped to one knee, his right hand on the cannon¡¯s handle while his left supported the barrel.

    Sero continued forward, unafraid as he copied the mana cannon creation skill. His Analysis fed him different courses of action as Sal gathered dark blue mana within the barrel of the cannon. Seconds later, a powerful beam of mana raced from Sal¡¯s cannon, quickly meeting Sero.

    Just before impact, Sero casted Shadow Sneak, feeling his body become weightless and intangible. The mana beam pierced through his body harmlessly, though it was a strange sensation to feel. It was like a breeze blowing on his stomach and back at the same time.

    Rematerializing, Sero immediately threw out a Fire Blast as he closed the distance between them. He suspected that since Sal was a long-ranged class, he probably wouldn¡¯t be good in close-combat, contrary to his body shape.

    Sero¡¯s hunch was proven wrong as Sal immediately readjusted to a stand, swinging his cannon up and slamming it down on the dirt. The impact sent a rippling shockwave of dust as dark blue mana billowed out from the cannon, rising and enveloping the Siege Guard in a hexagonal bubble.

    Sero¡¯s body buzzed as he copied the skill his Analysis informed him was called ¡®Force Field¡¯. He didn¡¯t have to think about what the skill did as he dashed behind Sal, catching sight of his Fire Blast crashing against the bubble. Sero threw out several mana knives at the ground behind Sal, who whirled around in surprise.

    Even before his opponent removed a hexagonal panel and aimed his cannon at him, Sero leapt up into the air, injecting a portion of mana into his jump to add more strength. Sal quickly replaced the panel and removed the one above, repositioning his cannon at Sero. But Sero had already conjured his mana blade and snapped his fingers, causing the knives below to detonate, shaking the Siege Guard¡¯s focus. He quickly extended his left palm in line with the Force Field¡¯s opening, firing off a mana nuke.

    Sal was much better than he expected, shooting his own cannon blast that met Sero¡¯s nuke in mid-air, resulting in an explosion of dark blue and green. Sero was knocked away, but transmuted into shadows to land safely on the ground, a short distance from Sal.

    Sero could see the bubble flicker and disappear as Sal swung his cannon to clear the smoke.

    "Holy¡­ what an explosive beginning! Who knew that the Scholar was this ferocious?" The crowd roared in approval, their energy reignited by the intense and rapid performance.

    "I underestimated you," Sal began as he lifted his cannon back onto his shoulder. "So, I''ll go all out from now on."Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    "Your head¡¯s shiny." Sero responded.

    Sal''s face flushed red, his eyes narrowing dangerously. It seemed like it was a sore topic for him. "I''m going to enjoy beating you senseless!" He shouted, his voice filled with rage. Dark blue mana began to charge within his cannon as he aimed it at Sero.

    "Why did you provoke him like that?" Aphiel asked incredulously. Sero ignored her for the moment, preparing himself for Sal¡¯s attack.

    The Siege Guard¡¯s cannon launched a massive stream of mana directly at him as Sero quickly dispersed his sword, lifting both hands to the sky.

    Before the beam reached him, Sero conjured the Jury axe in his hands. The massive weapon was still impossibly heavy for him to wield, but that wasn¡¯t the use he had in mind.

    As the sheer weight began to topple forward, Sero guided the falling blade towards the direction of the mana beam. The Jury slammed into the ground with a booming rumble, causing a massive shockwave to ripple straight forward. Just the force of the impact was enough to completely erase the mana beam and still carry through to Sal, who had a look of disbelief on his face.

    The Siege Guard quickly recovered and swung his cannon in front of him horizontally, taking the brunt of the shockwave with his weapon. Despite his muscular build, Sal was pushed back quite a few paces away. Sero let go of the Jury, dashing forward with mana-enhanced speed as he formed his blade again, coating it with a green light.

    Thanks to the grueling training Sero endured with Enzo, his body felt extremely light and still brimming with energy as he fired off a mana nuke followed by a volley of mana railguns. Sal barely managed to slam down his Force Field as Sero¡¯s barrage connected, enveloping the bubble in a dark green smoke. Rapidly reaching Sal, Sero leapt up, dispersing his blade in favor of the Jury once again.

    This time, the Jury axe had more height to fall from, which Sero realized in hindsight may have been a bad idea.

    The weapon dropped down, stringing Sero along with it as it fell upon Sal¡¯s Force Field. The Siege Guard¡¯s eyes were speckled with fear as the blade of the axe immediately shattered the hexagonal bubble like it was glass, cleaved his cannon in half, and finally crashed to the ground. The impact actually flung the muscular Sal backwards through the air, and Sero literally had to hold onto the handle with both hands as he gritted his teeth to endure the aftershocks.

    "That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s the Jury axe skill only seen from the Demonic Judge! And, we¡¯ve been informed that those nukes and railguns are Kanna Yu¡¯s staple combo! Ladies and gentlemen, this is something never seen before in history! Sero is using skills from other classes!"

    The crowd was deafening as it roared its satisfaction. Sero continued to tune them out as he regained his bearings and dispersed the Jury.

    Far in front of him, Sal had landed on his back, and ungracefully scrambled back up to his feet. His beige eyes were filled with a mixture of surprise, anger, and fear.

    "What are you?" The Siege Guard yelled across the arena.

    Sero shrugged. "Someone who¡¯s disappointed in the match right now!" He yelled back. "For a shiny-headed muscle man, you look like you¡¯re having trouble beating me senseless."

    "Champion!"

    Sal¡¯s face grew a deep crimson as his eyes were now burning with rage. "I will not hold back!" He roared, conjuring not one, but two navy-blue cannons, one in each hand.

    "Perfect," Sero muttered to himself. "Now, to make sure I dodge his shots so he can use more¨C"

    Sal slammed both of his cannons on the ground, propelling himself forward at Sero like a missile. The unexpected move that evaded even his Perfect Analysis caused Sero to freeze in place. That precious second was all it took for Sal to get a clean hit on Sero, swinging both cannons sideways as he reached him, slamming the entirety of his left side.

    Sero had never been hit by a truck before, but he could guess it felt something similar to what he just felt as the two cannons smacked him away and into the arena wall. If he hadn¡¯t casted Iron Skin and Inspiration prior, Sero might¡¯ve actually broken more than just his left arm, or perhaps died.

    As soon as Sero got his bearings, he found himself face-first in the dirt, his entire body racked with pain. Immediately, he casted Recovery, juicing up his energy consumption to hasten the process. He struggled to his feet, seeing Sal stomping towards him menacingly.

    "Forfeit now. That was just a warning hit." Sal bellowed.

    "How about you stop polishing your head so it doesn¡¯t shine that brightly?"

    "Champion, why are you doing this?!"

    The Siege Guard paused, every vein in his body bulging. Finally, he smiled.

    "This won¡¯t kill you, but it¡¯ll definitely hurt."

    Sal swung his cannons up, then slammed them down, causing a dark blue hexagonal spiderweb to blossom outwards from the impact. The mana spread across half the arena, reaching to where Sero was. His body buzzed, copying the skill as ¡®Blast Zone¡¯.

    "Oh." Sero murmured. Blast Zone was a skill that covered a large area, marking targets and tracking their every position while inside the zone. A sinking feeling grew in his stomach as Sero anticipated whatever Sal had planned next.

    "I really wanted to save this in case I ever got the chance to fight Liam, but you¡¯re pissing me off way too much." The Siege Guard shouted, heaving both cannons on his shoulders and aiming at the sky. Dark blue mana swirled around him, rapidly becoming bigger and bigger. Finally, Sal unleashed his skill that Sero copied as ¡®Starfall¡¯.

    "Holy fuck." Sero whispered as Sal blasted countless beams of mana into the sky. The entire arena became bathed in a dark blue hue as the beams hovered in the air as spheres of mana, quickly blocking out the sun. As Sal fired off the last of the beams, the sky seemed to fall as the beams began to crash down, homing onto Sero.

    In the chaos of the crowd and the beams, Sero could faintly hear the high pitched whistle of the referee. His Rationality kicked in, calming him down and erasing his fear.

    "Champion, move! You will perish if you do not minimize the damage!" Aphiel screamed at him in desperation.

    "Nah, just trust me." Sero smiled slightly as he pushed his energy efficiency to the limit. He tripled the effects of his Inspiration and Iron Skin while stomping his foot to create his own green Force Field. Finally, he held a palm outwards at Sal, who had a satisfied look on his face.

    As the sky fell upon Sero, he casted Fairness at the last second, forcefully lowering Sal¡¯s strength and raising his own so they were somewhat equal.

    Sal¡¯s Starfall connected, raining down on Sero¡¯s Force Field with a tumultuous thundering. It began to crack, which Sero had expected. He braced himself for what came next.

    As his Force Field broke apart, Sero crouched and protected his face with his arms as the mana beams slammed into him over and over. It hurt, so much so that Sero couldn¡¯t tell if he was screaming in pain or not. But he gritted his teeth and endured the barrage, recalling all the hits he took from Enzo.

    To Sero, this was nothing. Even as he fell to one knee, feeling the searing shock of the blasts and the force of their impacts, Sero continued to hold his ground. It was torturous, as if a gang of thugs were brutally whacking him with iron bats made of molten lava. He was dimly aware of the weird sensation in left arm, possibly because it was broken and hadn¡¯t healed yet.

    After what felt like an eternity, Sero opened his eyes. His hearing was completely muted, his eyesight tinged with dark blue. He was just barely able to make out the hulking figure of Sal walking towards him, a slight expression of awe on his face.

    Sero struggled to stand, feeling the effects of Fairness wash away. He couldn¡¯t quite hear the words Sal was saying, but as the Siege Guard raised his cannons once again, he could pretty much tell what he had said.

    He prayed that his body would listen to him as he mustered up the last of his strength and resources, releasing everything but Inspiration to double his stats. As Sal began to swing his cannons down, Sero jerked his head up and sneered wickedly.

    The Siege Guard faltered, caught off guard by the sinister and grotesque expression on Sero¡¯s face, which gave him the opening he needed.

    The last of Sero¡¯s mana swirled in his right fist as he swung it forward, turning his entire body with the motion as he casted Fairness once more. His fist connected with the rock-hard abs of Sal¡¯s stomach, fulfilling the requirements of Revenge.

    Since the beginning of the match, Sero knew he would never outright beat Sal in a contest of strength. Firepower, maybe, if he relied on his nukes and railguns, but the Siege Guard¡¯s Force Field seemed durable enough to tank a majority of those hits.

    As his Revenge enveloped Sal¡¯s body with a green light, Sero fell face-forward on the ground. The green light exploded, the culmination of all the damage Sero had taken from Sal which was empowered by Fairness and doubled by Inspiration. The explosion flung Sal from the end of the arena that they were at all the way to the other side, where he slammed into the wall so hard, he became embedded in the concrete, creating a deep crater.

    Sero painfully pushed himself up in a kneeling position using his right arm, and confirmed that Sal had passed out from that attack. The entire arena was silent.

    "The¡­ the winner is¡­ Sero Kassel!"

    As the crowd erupted into cheers and the medics rushed towards him and Sal, Sero smiled weakly, raising his fist in triumph before he felt his consciousness fade away.

 Chapter 27: Uncomfortable Reunions

    Sero woke up in a comfortable bed, temporarily disoriented by the bright lights and chatter of the arena infirmary. He glanced around, taking in his surroundings.

    He was in a clean, white room with large windows that let in warm, natural light. A soft, fluffy pillow cradled his head, and a cozy blanket was tucked around his body. The air smelled faintly of disinfectant and flowers. Sero took a deep breath, feeling the warmth flow back into his limbs. As he shifted his weight, he winced slightly at the pain in his left arm, which, while not broken anymore, still hadn''t healed completely from the match against Sal.

    Towards his right, the door was slightly ajar, letting in the ambient chatter from other patients and staff. Although Sero was thankful for the privacy of the room, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little lonesome.

    "Hi."

    Sero agonizingly turned his head to see Kit sitting next to his bed, her mismatched eyes sparkling with excitement and pride.

    "Hi," he croaked, his voice hoarse from the battle. His body was in excruciating pain from tanking the entirety of Sal''s Starfall, but it seemed like the medics had placed some sort of timed recovery spell on him, giving him some mobility.

    Kit beamed at him. "How do you feel?"

    "Like shit. How long have I been out?" Sero averted his eyes from her gaze.

    "Hmm, just an hour or two. I''m surprised you''re awake this quickly though." The Paradox tilted her head curiously.  "You took quite a beating."

    Sero grimaced, wincing as he tried to move his left arm. "Yeah, I know." He sighed, then looked up at Kit. "Thanks for coming to see me."

    "Of course," She purred. "I knew you''d want to see a pretty woman when you first wake up."

    "I- Yeah, I guess so." Sero glanced around the room. "So, uh, where''s everyone else?"

    Kit hummed to herself as she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well, your teacher is still with Gregor, doing patrols around the city while people leave the stadium. Amaya went to deal with something urgent, and Nala went to help with the C-rank monster outbreak; I''m not sure where. Other than that, I''m not sure who else you''re friends with."

    "No, that''s... that''s all." Sero felt his face heat up in embarrassment. The lack of friends coupled with how Kit was the only to visit him was mortifying.

    Kit giggled softly. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I''m sure they''re all just busy. They''ll come by eventually." She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, and gave him a sly smile. "Besides, I''m sure you''d want to hear about what happened after you... you know."

    "Wait, what happened?" Sero''s interest was piqued.

    The Paradox''s smile grew wider. "After you passed out, the crowd went absolutely nuts. It was the first time anyone''s ever seen a Scholar before, and the way you fought out there using skills exclusive to other classes sparked several discussions over what your abilities truly are." Kit leaned forward with an excited gleam in her mismatched eyes. "You''re quickly becoming one of the most talked about Ascendant in the world, overshadowing even Liam and Elena."

    Sero couldn''t help but feel a small surge of pride at her words. He looked away, trying to appear nonchalant, but his heart was racing. "That''s... interesting."

    Kit leaned over, looking into Sero''s eyes. "You don''t look happy about that. Or, could it be that you''re trying to hide it?" She teased.

    Sero coughed, clearing his throat. "I''m just... surprised, I guess." He dropped his gaze, feeling a blush creeping up on his cheeks. "It''s not like I did it for attention or anything."

    "True." Kit sat back and folded her arms, much to Sero¡¯s relief. "You were supposed to enter undercover to see if there was anything fishy. Was there?"

    Sero shook his head. "Not that I could tell. Everyone was genuinely in a tournament mindset and I didn''t sense anything out of the ordinary. Even the four suspects seemed normal."

    "Interesting," Kit seemed lost in thought. She then stood up, stretching widely. "You should discuss it more when the others get here."

    "Yeah¡­ will do. Are you heading out now?"

    "Aww, don¡¯t worry," Kit stuck her tongue out playfully. "I¡¯ll be back soon after I do my rounds of the stadium."

    Sero waited for her to distract him, but she simply waved goodbye and walked towards the door.

    "Aphiel?" He thought after a moment.

    "Yes?"

    "How did I do?"

    "During your match? I was very impressed, though I did feel a tad concerned towards the end."

    Sero chuckled and immediately winced in regret. "Yeah, that¡¯s fair. I had to do something crazy though, since I couldn¡¯t outright blitz him." He glanced at his left hand, gingerly wiggling his fingers. "Enzo¡¯s training really helped me out. I don¡¯t think I would¡¯ve been able to win."

    "I suppose. But still, that was incredibly reckless of you."

    "I guess, but you know I¡¯ve always been reckless."

    Their conversation was interrupted when Sero¡¯s doctor came in to check up on him. After a few minutes, he determined that Sero would be fine, but recommended that he remain in the infirmary until the recovery spell restored his body.

    Sero pulled out his phone as the doctor left, scanning through the news. Kit¡¯s words rang true as he read some of the headlines highlighting his match.

    "This is¡­ more than what I was expecting." He hadn¡¯t expected to be trending on all of the news sites as well as social media. In fact, Sero had several missed calls and texts from unknown numbers, most likely from guilds or agencies trying to recruit him. It felt both exhilarating and intimidating, knowing that he was now in the eyes of the public. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "You ok?"

    Sero glanced up from his phone, finding Amaya standing next to his bed. She had switched out her usual liaison attire for something more comfortable, opting for a long-sleeved white top and black leggings. Though he was glad to see her, she had a slightly downtrodden look on her face.

    "Yeah¡­ I am, but are you?" He put his phone away, giving her his full attention.

    "Well, yes and no," she took a seat near his bed. "There¡¯s something I have to tell you. Technically, it¡¯s something I have to show you, but we¡¯ll get to that when you¡¯re fully healed. Did you notice anything out of the ordinary with the participants?"

    "No," Sero shook his head. "I talked to Kit earlier before you came, and I didn¡¯t sense anything weird with them. Even the four suspects that you showed me seemed normal."

    "Really?" Amaya frowned. "That''s weird. Our sources thought that at least one of the participants would be involved. There was really no one suspicious?"

    Sero shook his head again. "I¡¯m not sure who your source was, but there wasn¡¯t a single thing out of the ordinary. Maybe they were wrong?"

    "They¡¯re usually never wrong¡­" Amaya chewed the nail of her thumb. "We¡¯ll look into it. Anyways, I have some good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

    Sero gave a wry smile. "Oh boy, I can¡¯t wait to hear the good news first."

    The liaison brightened and straightened up. "Trust me, it is good this time. I was able to secure your new penthouse suite. You can move in immediately."

    "Oh shit?" Sero¡¯s eyes gleamed wickedly. "That more than makes up for the beating I got earlier."

    "Yeah¡­" Amaya suddenly seemed uncomfortable. "The other good news is that¡­ I found your dad."

    "Oh." Sero didn¡¯t know what to say. On one hand, he was relieved that his father was alive, but on the other, he wasn¡¯t sure if he should contact him after so many years of no communication. Perhaps he should, since the apocalypse really changed everything. Maybe Sero would get the chance to mend things with him.

    "So, there¡¯s a local hospital a few minutes from the stadium," Amaya continued, carefully watching Sero¡¯s expressions. "They treat Ascendants and normal civilians alike."

    "Ok¡­" Sero nodded slowly, not knowing where she was getting at.

    "Your new place is a further drive away from the hospital, but it¡¯s still within walking distance."

    "Are you letting me know this because I always seem to end up in the hospital?" Sero joked, glancing down at his state.

    "No," Amaya chewed on her thumb again. "It¡¯s because¡­ that¡¯s where I found your dad. He¡¯s been in there ever since the apocalypse."

    <hr>

    After being discharged from the arena infirmary, Amaya had driven him over to check out his new living space.

    Sero glanced around his new penthouse suite, taking in the luxurious scene. The furniture was modern and elegant, with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a breathtaking view of the city. A fully-equipped kitchen was tucked away in the corner, while a spacious living room with a large flat-screen television and comfortable sofas invited him to relax. The bedroom was just as opulent, with a king-sized bed and a stylish bathroom complete with a Jacuzzi tub and walk-in shower.

    Even though this was something he had been looking forward to, Sero couldn''t help but think back to his father, and how he was literally a few minutes'' drive away from here. He idly fiddled with his room card, a silver and sleek metallic rectangle that seemed a lot heavier than it should.

    Sero sighed, shaking himself out of his thoughts and headed back down to where Amaya was waiting. Nala had joined them after dealing with the C-rank monster outbreak, dressed up in ripped black jeans and a simple dark purple crop-top.

    "You like it?" Nala asked as he stepped out of the elevators and into the apartment lobby.

    "Yeah, I guess." Sero mumbled distractedly. The apartment lobby was just as lavish, with a water fountain and a concierge desk manned by two immaculately dressed attendants. He followed Amaya and Nala to the exit, his mind still on his father. He felt apprehensive about seeing his father again, with good reason. They hadn''t spoken in so long, and their last interaction hadn''t exactly been the most pleasant.

    His mind whirled with things he could say as Amaya drove them to the hospital. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the city. Sero tried to recall the last time he''d seen his father, feeling a mix of anger, resentment, and sadness well up inside him. He hadn''t been a kid anymore, and his father hadn''t been around to help him through the tough times. Maybe it was his fault, too, for not trying to reach out or make amends. But it was too late now, wasn''t it? They were both different people, living in a different world.

    The trio pulled up to the institution, parking in the visitors'' lot. Sero took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts, forcing himself to be composed as he followed the women through the automatic doors. The smell of disinfectant and illness hung heavy in the air, making his stomach turn. They made their way to the reception desk, where a harried-looking nurse greeted them.

    "We''re here to see a Tiero Kassel," Amaya informed the nurse. Sero didn''t know how she knew his father''s name, but decided he''d ask about that later.

    The nurse checked her computer, then nodded. "He''s in room 403. Visiting hours end at 9. You have 2 hours." She handed them visitor passes, and they made their way to the elevators, going up to the fifth floor. Sero''s heart raced as they approached his father''s room. Amaya knocked on the door, and a weak voice called for them to enter.

    Sero didn''t know what to expect when he walked into his father''s room.

    It was small and dimly lit, with a single window covered by a thin sheet of metal. The bed was a metal frame with a thin mattress, and his father was propped up against the headboard, his once-strong frame now frail and wasted. His dark hair had grayed and thinned out, and his red eyes seemed sunken into their sockets. He was wearing a thin hospital gown, revealing his emaciated body and the numerous tubes and wires that snaked in and out of him. On the opposite end of the room high above was a small flat-screen tv, quietly playing a random show.

    Sero stepped forward, locking eyes with the man he hadn''t seen for nearly 4 years. There was a vortex of things he wanted to say, stemming from anger, to regret, to happiness.

    "I''m sorry."

    Sero froze in place, not registering his father''s words at first.

    "What...?"

    "I said," Tiero coughed harshly before he gasped for breath. "I''m sorry, Sero. I should have never let you go."

    Sero stared at his father, feeling a lump forming in his throat. He wanted to believe him, wanted to accept his apology. But how could he, when all these years he''d thought his father didn''t care? He took a step back, his arms crossed over his chest.

    "Yeah, well, you did. And I''ve been doing fine without you." Sero bit his tongue, realizing that that probably wasn''t the best thing to say, considering his father''s state. "Er, sorry, that just slipped out. But, my point still stands. I''ve been doing fine without college."

    Tiero coughed again, his arms shaking as he reached for the water next to him. Sero quickly responded, grabbing the water and pressing it up to his father''s lips.

    "Thank you," Tiero wheezed after he drank. "It''s been getting harder to move nowadays."

    Sero set the bottle down and pulled up a chair, sitting next to his father. He was dimly aware of Nala and Amaya standing behind him.

    "Listen," his father began after clearing his throat. "You''re right. I was pushing you to do better because I didn''t want you to have to live like that forever. I didn''t care about the cost, I just wanted you to have a better life. But, I should''ve understood your feelings too."

    Sero shook his head. "We were poor, Dad. I didn''t want you to overwork yourself to the point where you would end up like this. College was getting lonely and tedious. At that point in my life, I just needed my dad."

    "Lonely?" Tiero gave a weak smile as he clasped his son''s hand. "You''re telling me you didn''t meet any cuties there?"

    "N-no, Dad. I was grieving and burying myself in my studies."

    "Ah, right. Sorry." Tiero squeezed Sero''s hand and then noticed Amaya and Nala behind him. "Hey, but they''re pretty cute. Is one of them your girlfriend?"

    Sero smiled. "No, they''re just friends. They''ve been helping me out since... well, since I left, died, and came back."

    His father stared at him with a blank expression. Sero took a deep breath and explained everything that had happened to him, from the day of the apocalypse, to meeting Aphiel and the others, learning about his class, and finally up to the tournament.

 Chapter 28: A Very Hard Pill to Swallow

    "So, you see," Sero said, finishing his story, "that''s why I''m here. To compete in this stupid tournament, and I''m not even sure why. Maybe it''s because I want to prove to myself that I can still do something. That my life hasn''t been a complete waste."

    "Well, there''s the threat of that one evil organization¨C" Amaya cut off Nala''s words with an elbow.

    Tiero closed his eyes, continuing to squeeze Sero''s hand. He chuckled weakly and took a ragged breath.

    "Your life isn''t a waste. I was wrong to try and push you to do something I thought would be beneficial to you. I made it worse by kicking you out. I just wanted you to be happy, but I was blinded by what I wanted for you that I never thought to hear what you wanted." Tiero opened his eyes and glanced at his son. "Do you hate me for everything that happened?"

    Sero felt tears prick at his eyes as he shook his head. "No, Dad. I never hated you. I was just angry. I''ve missed you." He took a deep breath and wiped at his eyes. "It just hurt, you know? Losing mom, and then us having that fight. I just didn''t want you to burn yourself out working like I did in my studies."

    Tiero smiled softly. "It took me a long time to realize you were just looking out for me like I was trying to do for you. I always knew it was you who sent those anonymous deposits in my account."

    "Yeah, well, I guess I didn''t try to hide it," Sero smiled back. "Did you put it to good use?"

    Tiero shook his head. "No, I put it in a savings account. Just in case you ever decided to come back home."

    Sero felt the lump in his throat come back. An immense guilt washed over him as he thought back to the past. He had always thought his father only cared about his success, but their conversation now opened his eyes. Although he wasn¡¯t sure he was ready to forgive his father, Sero felt some sort of reconciliation learning that his father never stopped caring about him.

    "Speaking of home, I got a new place. Close to here," Sero cleared his throat. "As soon as you get better, you can move in with me. It''s a nice place."

    His father smiled gratefully, but there was a sadness lurking within his eyes.

    "Sero, I don''t think I''ll ever get better."

    "What?"

    Tiero hesitated, giving Sero''s hand another squeeze. "When the apocalypse happened, a lot of people died in the chaos. A large population became those Ascendants like you." He coughed, momentarily releasing his grip. "But, doctors across the world learned that those initial portals emitted some sort of toxic energy. The only ones who were unaffected were the Ascendants."

    "Wait¨C"

    "But for normal people like me, even spending a couple minutes near those portals is deadly. Apparently, the otherworldly toxins can really mess up your body. They call it an Outbreak Plague or something like that."

    "Dad, don''t tell me¨C"

    "Thankfully, whenever those outbreaks happen now, the toxin levels aren''t as bad. Still, I got caught up in one of the more dangerous ones on the day of the apocalypse." Tiero looked at Sero with a regretful smile. "The only treatments are a steady injection of recovery mana to fight off the infection, or a risky and expensive surgery to remove and replace affected parts with mana-enhanced organs."

    Sero felt a cold shiver run down his spine. "You''ve been getting shots this whole time?"

    His father nodded. "It''s pricey, but I''ve been paying using the money I''ve saved up over the years. Honestly, I was planning on stopping since I can''t afford the surgery, and I was giving up hope of seeing you again."

    Sero looked at his father, his heart aching. He didn''t know what to say. He couldn''t believe that his father had been struggling this whole time and he had no idea. The anger he had felt towards his father for pushing him away dissipated, replaced by guilt and regret. He swallowed the lump in his throat, determined to make things right.

    "Can''t you use the money I sent you? I''m making a lot, so I can help pay the difference if it''s not enough."

    Tiero chuckled, wincing as he did so. "Son, I appreciate it, but even if you could afford it, the chances of me surviving are slim."

    "That doesn''t mean we should give up," Sero gritted his teeth. "The further I make it in the tournament, the more monetary rewards I get. How much is the surgery?"

    Tiero smiled at his son''s determination. "I made some inquiries. The surgery would cost about five hundred thousand gold. You''ve sent me roughly a hundred thousand."

    "Fuck." Sero quickly calculated his finances. He was expecting five thousand from the first round, and he had a couple thousand in his account right now. Sero whirled around to Amaya. "How soon can I get that quarter million payment from our deal?"

    "I''m- I''m already working on that." Amaya lowered her gaze. "Hopefully within a few days. But if not, I''ll help you spot it."

    "So will I," Nala spoke up as well. "I have a lot saved up."

    "Thank you both," Sero said, feeling a weight lift off his chest. They didn''t have to offer their own money, but he was grateful that they did. "I promise to take good care of you once I get that money. And after the tournament, I''ll find a way to pay you back." He turned back to his father. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "Dad, I promise. I''ll see this through to the end and win the tournament. In the meantime, hang in there, ok? We''ll pay for your surgery and everything. There¡¯s a lot of stuff I think we need to talk about."

    Tiero smiled, tears welling up in his eyes. "I love you, Sero. I''ve missed you so much. I''m proud of you." He wrapped his arms around his son, squeezing him tightly. Sero returned the embrace, his chest heaving as he fought back tears of his own after hearing the words he longed to receive. They remained that way for a long moment, sharing a quiet understanding that transcended words.

    <hr>

    The three soon left, Sero making sure his father was in better condition before they departed. They were silent as they stepped into the night, the moon casting a soft glow over the city. Sero felt lighter, as if a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He glanced at Amaya, then at Nala. They both smiled at him, their eyes filled with understanding and support.

    "Thanks for your help. You guys didn''t have to, but I really appreciate it."

    "Well, it''s the first time I''ve ever seen you so determined," Amaya remarked. "Plus, I know how it feels to... see your family like that."

    Sero felt another wave of guilt crash over him as he recalled how Amaya lost her family. He swore to himself to find a way to repay her later.

    Amaya dropped Sero off at his new place, taking Nala with her to grab a drink. As he rode the elevator and entered his penthouse, Sero was faintly surprised seeing his stuff from his old apartment already transported over.

    Deciding to redecorate his place later, Sero indulged in the room''s facilities, taking a very long shower. After getting dressed, he lounged on his bed, glancing over towards his window at the view of the city. Despite the grand and luscious upgrade, Sero felt a growing sense of loneliness in the spacious bedroom.

    "Aphiel, are you there?"

    "Yes, champion?"

    Sero took a moment to think. "What do you know about this Outbreak Plague?"

    "Well, not more than what you were told. The energy generated from the portals is definitely toxic to regular mortals. Champions are immune because..." Aphiel hesitated. "The blessings they receive from gods is akin to a vaccine. A portal''s energy is very similar to a god''s divinity, which is likely why champions can tolerate whereas mortals are unable to accept that energy."

    "So gods are like some sort of antibiotic for the portals?" Sero asked, intrigued.

    "If that helps you understand it better, then yes."

    "Interesting." Sero had a thought. "So, why do these portals or outbreaks or whatever occur?"

    "That''s-" Aphiel stopped herself. "That''s something I cannot explain at the moment."

    "What? Why not?"

    "Well, you see, champion... it''s complicated." Aphiel sounded reluctant. "There are many theories, but none have been proven. The most popular one is that the portals are a natural occurrence, a byproduct of the universe''s expansion. As the cosmos grows, new portals appear, and with them, the potential for an outbreak. Some believe that the portals are created by a higher power, perhaps a god or gods, but again, there''s no concrete evidence to support that claim."

    Sero got the feeling Aphiel knew the real reason, but didn''t want to share it. He sighed, choosing to table the topic for later.

    "Fine," he turned over on his side. "Then, is there really no cure for my dad''s sickness?"

    There was a long moment of silence.

    "Not in the sense that you''d think. As I said before, only champions are immune. If your father was somehow blessed by a god, then perhaps he would survive. Otherwise, the surgery I heard before seems the most plausible, since the mana-enhanced organs would certainly help condition him to the energy."

    Sero considered this for a moment. "So, if I were to find a god, and convince them to bless my dad, would that work?"

    "That''s not how it works, champion." Aphiel sounded apologetic. "One cannot gain a blessing of a god just by asking for it. The god must choose to bless a champion through their own will. Furthermore, that champion must possess the ability to receive such blessings."

    "Wait, so even if my dad somehow had a god choose him, he wouldn''t become blessed if he doesn''t have the ability to receive it? Then, what would''ve happened if I didn''t have that ability?"  Sero frowned, gaining more questions than answers.

    "Champion, in the simplest way I can explain, this is how it works: Gods are able to tell who can and cannot receive blessings. A mortal''s entire essence is laid bare to us, where we can see everything, even things you wouldn''t be able to comprehend. I saw in you something I resonated with, so that''s why I chose you."

    "Technically, you chose someone else before me, and that''s why I died-"

    "But as for your father, even I can tell that he does not contain the ability to receive a blessing."

    Sero sighed, defeated. "Then what am I supposed to do?"

    "I''m sorry," Aphiel said after a while. "But there is nothing else you can do."

    Sero''s heart sank. He felt a lump forming in his throat, threatening to choke him. "So, there''s no hope for him?" He asked, clenching his jaw.

    "All that''s left is the surgery. I will pray that it works."

    Though it wasn''t what he wanted to hear, Sero knew that that was all he could hope for. It wasn¡¯t fair, really. He had been doing fine so far, but with his father¡¯s reappearance, Sero felt like the world wanted to see him crack. He still felt a slight resentment towards his father, but it was eclipsed by his desire to see him live.

    Sero went quiet for a moment, lost in his thoughts. All the anger and sadness he harbored towards his father was somewhat justified, but a part of him knew it was unfair to cling to those feelings after seeing him earlier. He took a deep breath, casting his thoughts away as he prepared to sleep.

    "Thanks." He finally murmured.

    "You''re welcome. Good night, champion."

    "Night, Aphiel."

 Chapter 29: Second Midterm Fights â€“ Part 1

    The next day, Sero mentally prepared himself for the second round of the tournament. As he went downstairs, he found Amaya waiting in the lobby in her usual liaison attire. Behind her were a swarm of reporters and important-looking individuals that Sero assumed were here to recruit him.

    "How''s the first night in your new place?" She asked when she noticed him.

    "Not bad." Sero shrugged. Truthfully, it was nice, but it felt rather empty with just him occupying the enormous room.

    "I''ve got some semi-good news," Amaya smiled reassuringly as they prepared to dive into the crowd. "Your deposit was approved, so it''ll hit your account sometime today. Your dad will be able to undergo surgery."

    Sero felt his whole body feel much lighter. He knew that it wasn''t a guarantee, but at least now they had a chance. "Thanks, Amaya. You have no idea how much this means to me."

    "No problem. I do have to mention; I talked with your dad''s doctor, and the earliest they can do the surgery is tomorrow."

    Sero stared at her for a moment.

    "You... went that far just for me?"

    Amaya raised an eyebrow at his surprised reaction. "I told you, I''m here to help. Besides, it''s not like I''m going to be using it for anything else important. I can spare a few coins for your dad''s sake."

    "No, I just... thanks."

    The duo ventured out, with Amaya doing her best to keep the crowd at bay. Sero could barely register a single word from anyone as they struggled to push through.

    "Sero Kassel! How was it that you were able to reach A-rank so quickly in under a month?"

    "Mr. Kassel, please think about joining the Chrome Dome guild!"

    "Can you provide further explanations about your Scholar class?"

    "There is news that you seem to have bad luck with women!"

    "Fucking hell..." Sero muttered to himself as he clung to Amaya in the sea of people. "I forgot there were downsides to fame."

    <hr>

    Finally, they were able to break free from the crowd after Amaya distracted them long enough for Sero to use his Shadow Sneak.

    As they drove to the stadium, Sero set aside his thoughts of his father for the moment, focusing on who his next opponent would be. He desperately hoped it wouldn¡¯t be Elena or Liam; Raul or Kanna would also be a match he didn¡¯t particularly want to have. As for the other 11 participants, Sero briefly scanned the updated roster for more information.

    There wasn''t anyone of interest, at least, none that Sero thought was a threat. After what he had been through in the match against Sal, he was pretty confident about his abilities now.

    The pair pulled into the competitors'' parking lot, where Amaya accompanied Sero to the arena entrance once more. They stopped in front of the familiar door, and Sero took a deep breath as he mentally prepared himself for the match ahead. Amaya patted him on the back. "Good luck," she said with a reassuring smile.

    "Thanks." Sero entered the entrance, walking down the corridor towards the waiting area and locker rooms. When he got there, he found the room empty, save for a couple of officials who directed him towards the exit. Another official acted as an escort for him as they traversed the corridors to the new waiting area.

    As Sero walked, he noticed that the atmosphere seemed different. There was an electricity in the air, a sense of anticipation and excitement that hadn''t been there before. He wondered if it was because of the second round. Or maybe it was because of him.

    After a while, the official finally led them to a small room with three doors. On the left seemed to open to the main arena where the audience was. Up ahead was the exit to outside, but the man gestured to the door on the right. Sero nodded his thanks and headed in, trodding up the stairs to a black door embellished with swirling golden patterns.

    "Oh. Wow."

    The new waiting area was much nicer than the one from yesterday. Leather couches were neatly arranged in rows, with sleek black matte tables in between. Three wide-screen televisions hung on the full-length windows, displaying advertisements and upcoming matches. Below, the arena seemed larger, with spectators filing into the bleachers. To the left, a small kitchenette was tucked away in one corner, complete with a refrigerator, a microwave, and a coffee machine. An elongated table was littered with refreshments and snacks. To the right were four doors; the locker doors were on the far ends of the side, whereas the two doors in the center probably led to what Sero assumed was the arena itself. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    "Hey, Sero!"

    Sero shifted his gaze and saw Raul and Kanna, who were seated near the refreshments wearing the same outfits as yesterday. The Rage Fist grinned and waved him over. "You''re looking good. Feeling confident, eh?"

    "More or less," Sero shrugged as he joined them. "I''m just hoping I don''t face off against you guys or the S-ranks."

    "Hey," Raul frowned. "I''m an S-rank, too."

    "You know what I meant." Sero leaned back in his chair, glancing at other participants. There were supposed to be 16 of them today. As his gaze raked over the other Ascendants, he noted that Liam and Elena weren''t there yet. He figured that they would probably show up later like yesterday.

    The participants slowly trickled in as the start of the tournament drew closer. True to Sero''s prediction, Elena was one of the last to arrive, followed by Liam. Both of them sat in the center of the room, the seats near them empty. Although their presence quelled the noise in the room again, it wasn''t as silent as yesterday. Sero sensed that it might be due to the Ascendants'' growing confidence in their abilities after the first round.

    "Attention, participants," The man from before with the scar underneath his eye addressed the room. "Just as it was yesterday, we will begin to call your names in about 10 minutes. The centermost doors to my left will directly lead you to the arena. Please make any preparations beforehand and good luck."

    "Wished they actually told us who we''d be facing before they announced it." Sero grumbled to himself after the official finished.

    "Ah, but then where''s the fun in that?" Raul''s eyes sparkled with excitement. "Knowing who you''re up against ahead of time would result in a boring match."

    "How...?" Sero stared at Raul.

    "Anyways," Kanna leaned forward. "You probably don''t know this because it''s your first tournament, but the second round will be organized more carefully. Both contestants will be matched up according to how similar they are in strength and abilities."

    The remaining minutes ticked by slowly as the participants continued to chat and stretch. Sero found himself nodding in agreement with Kanna, feeling slightly more at ease now that he knew the matchups were going to be fairer. He glanced at the other Ascendants again and noticed that some of them seemed to be studying their opponents more closely, trying to gather any useful information they could.

    "The matches will begin soon. All participants, please standby." The official with the scar announced to the room. Sero took a deep breath, calming his nerves. His phone buzzed, and he glanced down to see a text from Nala. Expecting a random photo, he was surprised to see that it was a selfie of her, Amaya, and his father.

    "What the fuck?" Sero muttered to himself. Though he was glad that his friends were keeping his father company, it was a little weird that they seemed friendly enough to take a photo together.

    "Sero Kassel, Anya Laskin, please come forward."

    For a moment, Sero froze in place. He was going first?

    The woman named Anya stood up, walking to the center doors. She was dressed in a sleeveless black bodysuit, accentuated with gold trims with her light brown hair tied in a ponytail. A pair of black gloves and boots completed her outfit. Sero followed suit, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness. As he took his place behind the doors, he took a moment to study Anya, noting her confident stance and her sharp features. She looked to be around his age, but there was something about her that seemed more experienced.

    Anya simply nodded at him before she entered the right door, Sero taking the left.

    "Hi there!"

    Kit grinned at him as the door shut behind him. Dressed in the same uniform as the officials, Sero was only mildly surprised to see her there.

    "Are you the only one here to escort me or did you use your Cat Paradox to make this happen?"

    Kit immediately pouted, as if his reaction wasn''t what she was hoping for. "Why? Are you disappointed that it''s only me?"

    "No, just wondering," Sero shook his head, slightly relieved that it was only Kit. "I didn''t expect to go first, so seeing a familiar face is comforting. I''m not even gonna ask how you managed to make this happen."

    The Paradox stuck her tongue out playfully before she turned on her heel and walked ahead.

    "So," Kit began as Sero caught up. "I have a hunch that you might be wondering why you''re the first match of the day."

    "That''s... right."

    "Well," Kit gave him a smirk. "Obviously, it''s because of your performance from yesterday. The organizers of the tournament decided to have you get the crowd going first and then end with Elena and Liam''s matches. Honestly, it''s a good marketing strat, since the tournament was losing attention towards the end of day."

    Sero frowned. "I didn''t know that."

    "I figured you didn''t. That''s why I''m telling you now. I''m also letting you know to do your best in this match. You know anything about your opponent?"

    Sero shook his head. "Other than she¡¯s an A-rank Courtmancer, which is a hybrid advancement of the Mage and Summoner, no, I don¡¯t."

    "Hmm." Kit was silent for a moment. "That¡¯s all you really need to know, then. You¡¯ll find her skills very interesting to copy."

    Sero realized he was salivating and wiped his mouth. "Is that so? Can you tell me more about them?"

    The Paradox giggled. "That¡¯s something you need to find out for yourself."

    "Gee, thanks for the help."

    Kit playfully punched his arm. "Hey, it¡¯s no fun if I told you everything. Plus, it¡¯ll give the audience quite a show if you went in blind." She grinned, her mismatched eyes sparkling mischievously. "Your teacher also told me to tell you ¡®good job¡¯. Well, he didn¡¯t exactly use those words, but I knew what he was trying to say regardless."

    There was a sense of pride rising in Sero as a small grin bloomed across his face. Even though he hadn¡¯t heard it from Enzo directly, it was still a nice feeling to know his mentor knew of his match against Sal.

    "He also said ¡®don¡¯t get a big head¡¯ or something like that."

    "Right." It definitely was something Enzo would say after complimenting Sero.

    The pair reached the arena entrance, Kit turning back to Sero with an encouraging smile.

    "Do your best, my little bookworm!"

    Sero grunted his thanks and pushed the doors open.

 Chapter 30: Second Midterm Fights â€“ Part 2

    The arena wasn''t as overwhelming as the first time when Sero stepped onto the dirt. The crowd cheered as both he and his opponent faced off against each other near the center of the enormous stage.

    Sero inhaled slowly, feeling his Rationality activate and clearing his mind. A woman approached the pair, a whistle around her neck.

    "Ground rules are the same as yesterday, but here''s a refresher in case you forgot." The woman glanced at the both of them. "No killing blows, don''t continue if your opponent can¡¯t fight anymore, or they surrender, and if I blow the whistle, both of you must stop. Understand?"

    Sero nodded, not bothering to check if his opponent understood as well. He focused on her body language instead. Anya seemed relaxed but slightly on guard, which was understandable considering how Sero fought against Sal. The referee looked at them one more time before she retreated to safety.

    "Is it true you can copy skills from other classes?" Anya spoke for the first time, her deep voice heavily saturated with a Russian accent.

    "Yeah."

    Anya regarded him curiously for a moment. She was tall, a good inch or two above Sero. Her amber eyes narrowed at him before she grinned. "This should be interesting."

    She turned and walked away to take her place a few paces away from Sero as he did the same. Despite the atmosphere of the situation, Sero still thought she was cute.

    "Good luck, champion." Aphiel thought to him. "I understand it may not be gentleman-like, but give it your all."

    "I have no problems beating up anyone regardless of gender. But thanks." Sero licked his lips, feeling confident. He took a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it out slowly.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, the first round is about to begin! The tricky Courtmancer, Anya Laskin from the Fortune¡¯s Favored guild versus the impressive Scholar mercenary, Sero Kassel!"

    The audience raised a deafening chorus of cheers as the announcer began to count down.

    Sero tensed his entire body as the numbers ticked lower. Anya still seemed at ease for the most part, but her gaze was wary, and she had her hands slightly curled.

    "3¡­ 2¡­ 1!"

    Sero launched off his right foot, activating his Perfect Analysis, Iron Skin, Inspiration, and his energy and mana efficiencies. Anya followed his movement quickly, raising a hand and condensing golden mana.

    Not wanting to lose the opportunity to copy her skills, Sero fired off a weak mana nuke to see if Anya would react. The Courtmancer took the bait, and conjured what looked like two playing cards in her hand.

    Sero¡¯s body buzzed with power, learning that the skill copied was ¡®Spades¡¯. He was momentarily confused on what it did, until he watched Anya throw the card. The card immediately exploded with a golden light and a white, mannequin-like faceless figure emerged from the spectacle. On what should be its face was a black spade symbol, and it carried a golden shield and lance.

    As the familiar easily tanked Sero¡¯s mana nuke with its shield, his analysis informed him that Anya¡¯s Spades skill allowed her to choose any value from the ace to the King, with varying results that centered around defense. The numbered cards including the ace were multipliers, which would either create a defensive barrier or directly bolster the user¡¯s defenses. The face cards were familiars, with the King being more up close and sturdy while the Queen handled the rear, guarding the user with its spells.

    The familiar in front of Sero was the Jack of Spades, a mixture of close and long-range. The Jack rushed forward, meeting Sero and thrusting its golden lance forward.

    In a flash, Sero conjured his sword, deflecting the thrust to the side in the nick of time as he simultaneously launched a Fire Blast. The Jack blocked the flames with its shield, but Sero had already zipped past it, gunning for Anya herself.

    He only caught a glimpse of her before a golden mace suddenly swung into his view. Sero yelped and barely managed to raise his sword in time to block the attack. The weapons clanged together, and the impact sent Sero flying backwards past the Jack.

    Sero immediately adjusted himself and landed on his feet. He glanced ahead, noticing a new familiar with the same black spade standing guard in front of Anya, but it wore a golden crown and wielded a golden mace and shield instead. Sero guessed it was the King of Spades.

    He had to admit, Kit was right about Anya''s skills being interesting. In the moment though, it was looking pretty tough. First, his Perfect Analysis determined that Revenge was a waste, since it only returned damage back to the user who dealt it; the familiars were considered separate entities from Anya. Fairness was also useless, since Anya only had a bigger mana pool than Sero, so the skill would only equalize their resource.

    "Fuck," he muttered to himself as he watched Anya conjure another card. "What can I do to get to her?"

    The Courtmancer threw the card, Sero watching as it exploded with a golden light. This time, a familiar with a black club symbol appeared, wielding a golden longsword. As his Perfect Copy and Analysis registered the skill as ''Clubs'', Sero found himself locked in a sword fight with the newly summoned Jack.

    "Fuck!" Sero exclaimed again as the Jack of Spades joined the fight, shifting the balance out of Sero''s favor.

    "Amazing!" The announcer shouted over the raving of the audience. "It seems that Sero is being overwhelmed this time, unlike yesterday! Will he be able to get his pacing back?" If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Ignoring the announcer, Sero gritted his teeth and littered the ground with mana knives, detonating them as he casted Shadow Sneak to slip away from the Jacks using the explosion as a smokescreen. If Spades focused on defense, then it seemed as though Clubs focused on offense. Sero couldn''t help but wonder what stats Diamonds and Hearts would focus on. Well, he assumed Hearts would be recovery or support, but Diamonds was a mystery.

    Sero soon found out what Diamonds focused on as he rematerialized and was met with the Jack of Diamonds, which held a palm towards him. A golden ball of mana crackled and blasted forth, causing Sero to stomp his foot and create a green hexagonal Force Field to block it.

    "It focuses on magic? Really?" Sero scowled as he copied the ''Diamonds'' skill. He struggled to keep the Force Field up as all three Jacks mercilessly rained their attacks on his bubble. Glancing at Anya, he noticed a new familiar that wore a tiara with a red heart symbol on its blank face. It was providing mana recovery and boosting Anya''s reaction speed.

    "You''re fucking kidding me!" The Jacks were relentless and Sero had to disperse his sword to send more mana into his Force Field to keep it up. The King of Spades continued to guard Anya, while the Queen of Hearts kept her in peak condition.

    Sero gritted his teeth, struggling to keep up with the Jacks'' assault. His Force Field was starting to crack, and he knew he had to do something soon. He glanced at Anya again and saw her summoning a familiar with a red heart symbol as he copied the ''Hearts'' skill; the final Jack of Hearts.

    "Champion, what if you summoned forth your own familiars?" Aphiel quickly suggested as the last Jack joined the onslaught.

    "I would, but," Sero glanced at Anya, who seemed to have a smirk on her face. "First, I''d rather have the person I copied the skills from push it to the limits just in case they show me something else I can do with them." He began to slowly raise his arms above his head as his Force Field grew weaker.

    "And second," Sero condensed his green mana into his hands. "I''ll consider it a last ditch effort."

    "What? Why?"

    Sero dropped his Force Field and immediately conjured the Jury axe, gripping the handle as it came crashing down.

    "Because they''re so fucking ugly."

    As the Jury smashed into the ground, the impact forcefully blew back all the Jacks. Even the King of Spades staggered backwards, and the Queen of Hearts quickly casted a barrier over Anya and itself to absorb the shockwave.

    The brief respite wasn''t the only thing Sero had done as he dispersed the Jury and dropped to one knee. He had also casted Blast Zone using the Jury''s impact and he quickly conjured a dark jade mana cannon for the first time, shouldering it and pointing at the sky.

    "God... this is fucking heavy..." Sero groaned as he injected an enormous amount of his mana into the cannon. He was aware that the Jacks had recovered and were rapidly closing the distance, but it was too late.

    With a sadistic grin, Sero fired his cannon, sending a multitude of luminous green spheres to the sky.

    "Oh my... That''s Sal''s Starfall! Sero is using Sal''s skills from yesterday''s match!" The announcer sounded both shocked and in awe. The crowd roared their approval at his words. "What an incredible sight!"

    "You think your copied Starfall will hurt?!" Anya shouted across the arena. "I can just summon more of the Court!" She threw more cards that exploded with a golden light, summoning the rest of the face cards from each suit. "They can take your attack head-on!"

    "Here''s the thing," Sero shouted back, licking his lips and sneering as he stopped firing. He stood up and stretched his arms out wide, glancing up at the sparkling emerald sky. "Sal''s Starfall uses regular mana beams as ammunition."

    As the Jacks and Kings reached Sero, he stomped his foot and injected most of his mana and energy into his Force Field, blocking their attacks. But, it wasn''t their attacks he was worried about. Sero willed the sky to fall, watching as his sea of emerald mana came cascading down.

    "But for my Starfall," Sero continued as an unhinged grin spread across his face. "I juiced up the power."

    As the first green sphere crashed into the ground near the Jacks, it exploded with such ferocity that the magic barrier protecting the audience trembled. Sero could barely make out Anya''s face, which had paled in fear.

    "Champion, you did not."

    Sero began to cackle maniacally as he watched the arena get carpet bombed. "Yeah, I fired off mana nukes instead. I''m calling it Starfall Nuke."

    For a while, Sero could see nothing but green as his nukes covered the field, obscuring his view. The thundering booms began to deafen his ears, and Sero concentrated on keeping his Force Field up to block the impacts from his Starfall Nuke.

    When the dust finally settled, the aftershocks continued to shake the ground, and the air was thick with the acrid smoke of burnt mana. Sero deactivated his Force Field and assumed that the face card familiars were taken care of since he saw no traces of them. However, he caught sight of something golden flickering up ahead in front.

    "Damn... really?" Sero muttered as he gradually got a better view of what he was looking at.

    Anya stood, unharmed as a new familiar stood beside her. This time, the familiar wore a black opera mask trimmed with gold that covered the top half of its face. It had long and flowing bronze hair and pale skin, its golden eyes staring directly at Sero. It was dressed in a form-fitting black and gold suit with frills, with a three-pronged hat that hung bells at the dangling ends atop its head.

    As Sero copied the ''Joker'' skill, he couldn''t help but think about how the familiar was rather... attractive.

    "What a destructive attack by the Scholar!" The announcer cried out as the crowd recovered from the shock of Sero''s Starfall Nuke. "But the Courtmancer is just as impressive, still standing after a barrage like that!"

    "You have pushed me to use my trump card," Anya declared across the arena with a hint of respect. "But, this is my victory."

    Sero conjured his mana blade, preparing himself as he checked on his resources. He still had plenty of energy, but his mana reserves were running low from his Starfall Nuke. He knew that Anya was probably in the same situation, so he decided to end this quickly. He sprinted towards her, maneuvering around the debris left by their battle.

    The Joker launched itself forward with incredible speed, to the point that Sero was almost unable to track it. It threw a series of playing cards to which Sero either deflected or cut in half with inhuman precision.

    In the next moment, Sero found himself face-to-face with the Joker familiar, gazing into its brilliant golden eyes. He realized that it was different from the face cards Anya had summoned before, catching a glimpse of intelligence behind its eyes.

    "You''re beautiful." Sero blurted out without thinking, lowering his sword.

    Anya opened her mouth in shock as the audience quickly grew quiet. The announcer, who had been commenting on the match up until this point, became speechless. Even the Joker familiar paused in surprise, tilting her head as she frowned.

    "I''m... sorry?" The Joker spoke, a pleasant surprise to Sero. She had a soft, silky voice that he found incredibly soothing.

    Sero realized his outburst that had been broadcasted to both the audience and on live television. Gripping his sword tighter, he grinned confidently and met the Joker''s eyes.

    "I said, I think you''re beautiful."

 Chapter 31: Second Midterm Fights â€“ Final Part

    "That''s my son?"

    Tiero said in awe, more of a statement than a question as he gazed at his son on the television screen. Amaya sat near his bed on his left, while Nala sat on the right.

    Onscreen, the trio watched as Sero held his own against the face cards, eventually pulling out the Jury axe. Amaya couldn''t help but share a smile with Nala as they watched Sero''s father gaze in wonder when Sero performed his Starfall Nuke.

    "Yeah. He''s become a very strong Ascendant, going from F-rank to A-rank in a matter of days," Amaya explained to Tiero. "In fact, I think he has potential to be an S-rank."

    Tiero looked back at Amaya, his eyes filled with pride. "I always knew my boy was special," he said, a small smile on his face. "He always had that spark."

    Amaya felt a sudden tightness in her chest, thinking of her own deceased father. She forced the feeling down, nodding in agreement.

    "Well, he''s special all right. He''s the only known Scholar class right now." The liaison paused for a moment. "In spite of that, he can be a little bit-"

    "You''re beautiful."

    Sero''s voice echoed out from the television speakers as Anya brought out the Joker familiar. Amaya stared at the screen in shock, seeing Nala also look slightly off-guard.

    "That''s my son!" Tiero chuckled weakly, causing even Nala to appear visibly stunned.

    Seeing Tiero''s prideful expression caused the two women to realize where Sero''s shamelessness came from. Amaya silently sighed, sharing a look with Nala.

    "Oh, sorry," Tiero saw the look on their faces and smiled sheepishly. "I''m just glad to see my son so confident."

    "N-no, it''s fine," Amaya quickly composed herself. "It was just... unexpected."

    "Yeah," Nala nodded. "There''s nothing wrong with that."

    Sero''s father appeared thankful, smiling at the women warmly.

    "I''m happy to see that he has such wonderful friends," Tiero began. "He was always so lonely."

    Amaya and Nala exchanged glances again, understanding the subtext of his words. "He''s not lonely anymore, sir," Amaya assured him. "He''s got us now."

    "Thank you, both of you. I was always worried for him when his mother died," Tiero sounded melancholic. "He used to be such a curious child. It helped that his mother encouraged him to explore and learn as much as he could. Probably explains why he switched his majors so much."

    Sero''s father took a shaky breath. "We were pretty poor, so even sending him to grade school was a struggle. Not to mention we had to portion our meals every night." He paused for a moment. "Even then, Sero and Val shared a strong bond. She kept his desire to learn going, up until she passed away before he graduated high school."

    The two women nodded solemnly. They knew a bit of the hardship Sero had faced growing up, but hearing it from his father made it all the more real. "He''s come a long way," Nala offered, trying to lighten the mood. "He''s become such a strong person, and he''s found friends who truly care about him."

    Tiero smiled gratefully. "I know it hasn''t been long since I''ve met you both, but please, stay by Sero''s side. He may not realize it, but it would help to have such good friends to support him. Especially with two beauties like you."

    Amaya felt a blush creeping up her cheeks as the old man complimented her, but she quickly recovered, smiling back at him. "Thank you, sir. We''ll make sure to take good care of him."

    Sero''s father sighed contentedly, glancing back at the screen. "He''s a good kid. He just didn''t have the best childhood growing up, always alone without any real friends. I regret not checking up on him these last few years after we..." He trailed off, deep in thought.

    "You did your best, sir," Amaya assured him gently. "And he''s turned out to be an amazing person despite everything. He''s still got a lot of growing to do, but we''ll be there for him every step of the way." She glanced at Nala, who nodded in agreement.

    Tiero seemed to relax a little at their words. "Well, I''m glad he found someone like you, Amaya. You seem like a strong, kind woman. And Nala as well. I''m sure Sero would be lucky to have either of you as his partner."

    Amaya laughed uncomfortably while Nala forced a strained smile. It seemed that they were learning a lot about where Sero''s tendencies were coming from, much to their dismay.

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, back at the arena, the Joker faintly blushed, staring at Sero in disbelief. "I-I... t-thank you?" She stammered, sounding more confused than anything. "I-I didn''t know people thought that of me..."The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Even though she didn''t say anything, Sero could sense Aphiel''s shock within his thoughts. Anya had composed herself, but she still seemed stunned at Sero''s sudden change in behavior.

    "Well, I''m glad I''m the first to let you know," Sero grinned at the Joker. "You might be Anya''s familiar, but I''d love to get familiar with you."

    The Joker''s blush deepened, and she looked away, fidgeting with her hands. "T-that''s... nice of you, I guess..." she stammered, sounding more flustered by the moment. "B-but I''m not allowed to... you know..."

    She suddenly shook her head and faced Sero with a look of confusion and apprehension. "Wait, you realize this is a match, right?"

    "Yeah!" Anya shouted from behind, coming back to her senses as she glared at Sero. "What do you think you are doing, flirting with my familiar?"

    "Whoops, sorry," Sero said, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "Just being honest, you know? I mean, if you don''t want me to, I won''t. But I can''t help but think you''re really, really cute."

    Anya''s eyes narrowed even further as the announcer, who had finally regained his composure, spoke up again. "Well, it seems like our players have taken a detour from the battlefield for a moment. But we still have a match to finish, don''t we?"

    The Joker gave Sero a disturbed look before she disappeared with a golden flash, reappearing next to Anya. The two shared a look, and the Joker suddenly dissolved into golden mana, swirling around the Courtmancer.

    "It appears like I must do this myself!" Anya declared as she absorbed the golden light. "I will take you on!"

    Sero clicked his tongue in disappointment, his analysis determining that Anya had merged with the Joker. He brandished his sword, anticipating Anya''s next moves. In the back of his mind, he wondered if he''d be able to summon the same Joker using his copied skill, or if it would be a different familiar altogether. That was something he''d figure out later.

    As Anya charged at him, Sero met her golden cards with his sword, parrying each projectile effortlessly. It seemed as though the Courtmancer had absorbed the Joker''s agility and grace, as she moved with uncanny speed and precision. Sero found himself on the defensive, his sword dancing through the air as he tried to clash against her golden club.

    He fired off mana railguns in between his sword strikes, but Anya either avoided them or conjured a translucent golden barrier to defend against them. Sero realized that the Joker was the culmination of all four suits, seamlessly blending the stats together to create a powerful individual.

    For most other Ascendants, facing another''s greatest skill might be daunting. But to Sero, it was perfect.

    "You should''ve kept her out here," Sero grinned as he countered each of Anya''s card projectiles midair with his mana knives. "You might''ve had a chance of winning."

    "And be forced to watch you pine helplessly after my familiar?" Anya retorted, slipping past Sero''s guard and landing a solid smack to Sero''s stomach with her golden club. "Nyet!"

    Sero doubled over in pain, registering Anya''s golden mana beam firing at point-blank, but unable to do anything except take it head-on. The magic blasted Sero off his feet, but he managed to morph into shadows mid-flight and solidified back to land in a crouching position. He growled in agony, quickly casting Recovery and allotting more energy towards the skill.

    As his body healed, Sero quickly gathered his bearings, seeing Anya charge at him once more as she threw more golden cards. He jumped over the first wave, then rolled under the second before coming back to his feet and thrusting his sword forward, clashing against the third. Anya''s eyes narrowed, and she pulled back slightly, her golden club glowing brighter.

    "You think you can win with just that?" she growled, swinging her club in a wide arc that sent a wave of golden cards flying towards Sero. He raised his sword to block them, but found himself overwhelmed by the sheer number of attacks. As he struggled to maintain his defense, he noticed Anya moving in for a killing blow.

    "This is gonna hurt." Sero muttered to himself as he poured a significant amount of energy and mana into his Iron Skin.

    As Anya smashed her golden club into Sero''s right side, he quickly dispersed his sword and summoned the Jury axe, gripping the handle as it fell. Anya''s club connected, causing Sero to feel like he''d been hit by a truck. The Jury hit the ground, missing Anya completely as it smashed a crater into the arena. The force of Anya''s club almost sent Sero flying, but his grip on the Jury''s handle kept him in place even through the searing pain. The look of utter disbelief on Anya''s face at how Sero stood his ground almost made taking the hit worth it.

    "Fuck!" Sero coughed out as Anya recovered from the Jury''s shockwave, preparing to swing her club again. Before she could, Sero quickly let go of the axe, holding a palm out towards her.

    "If it ain''t broke, don''t fix it." Sero smiled wickedly as he casted Fairness.

    Anya faltered, feeling her strength become forcibly stolen from her. Her club wavered in the air, which gave Sero the opening he needed.

    Gritting his teeth, he forced his body to move, getting close to Anya and prepping a punch into her stomach. He deactivated all of his skills save for Fairness and Inspiration, sending a right hook deep into her abdomen.

    The Revenge activated, covering the Courtmancer in a green aura and exploded, sending her flying away. The damage Sero received from her was tripled by his skills as he watched her hit the other side of the arena.

    Without missing a beat, Sero dashed forward, ignoring the protests of his screaming body, charging up a decently powerful mana nuke that he fired after Anya. The magic connected with a boom, causing a green explosion that swallowed up Anya''s golden aura.

    Sero conjured his sword, reaching the other side of the arena and priming the tip at where Anya landed. When the smoke cleared, he found her slumped and passed out against the wall, a crater left behind her.

    "A-amazing! What another explosive performance by the Scholar!" The announcer shouted after processing what just happened. "Sero''s ending blow seems to be his staple! Reflecting back all the damage he''s taken is a seriously risky move, but it seems to work in his favor!"

    The crowd screamed their approval, causing an uproar of cheering as the referee called the match. Sero fell to his knees, feeling his entire body ache with exhaustion and effort.

    "I really need to... figure out a new way to use Revenge without breaking my body..." Sero grimaced, panting heavily. He couldn''t believe how close that last attack had been, and how much it had hurt. He felt drained, like he''d been through a war.

    As the medics rushed to treat him, Sero looked at the excited crowd, grinning with triumph as he held a thumbs up.

 Chapter 32: Reconciliations

    After being discharged from the arena infirmary, Sero decided not to stay and watch the rest of the tournament, since he already determined that the rest of the participants didn''t seem like they were associated with the Culling. He said his goodbyes and wished both Kanna and Raul luck on their matches, exiting to the participants'' parking lot.

    Sero sat on the curb, browsing through his phone as the arena entrance bodyguards chattered quietly amongst themselves. Several unknown numbers filled his texts and voicemails, most of them offers to join their guild. Sero smiled gleefully when he saw the 250,000 gold deposit notification for his account, but it soon disappeared when he realized he was another hundred thousand short for his father¡¯s surgery.

    Sighing as he slipped his phone away in his pocket, Sero thought back to his father, then drifted towards the main reason why he participated in the tournament in the first place.

    Amaya had said their source was certain that a member of the Culling had infiltrated the tournament, but so far, Sero had not seen any suspicious activity from the participants. He considered the possibility of the officials being one of them, but again, his Perfect Analysis had determined the ones he checked to be normal; the strongest official was an A-rank like him.

    "Could they be hiding in the audience?" Sero murmured to himself. It wasn''t a far-off idea, but nearly everyone including the officials themselves were thoroughly scanned before entry. Stumped, Sero tried to think of other ways the members of the Culling could have infiltrated the tournament, but came up with nothing. Maybe the source was wrong.

    The familiar roar of Amaya''s black sports car shook him out of his thoughts as it pulled up in front of him. No matter how many times Sero saw it, it never failed to impress him.

    "Hey," Amaya rolled down the window and greeted him. "Good job out there."

    "Thanks," Sero hopped into the passenger seat and strapped himself in. "Were you watching with my dad and Nala?"

    "Y-yeah." Amaya seemed a little awkward. "She''s waiting at the hospital with your dad."

    "Cool." Sero noticed her shift in behavior. "You all right?"

    "Um," Amaya hesitated for a moment as they pulled out of the parking lot. "Yeah, I am."

    As they drove onto the street and towards the hospital Sero''s father resided at, the liaison glanced at him from the side.

    "Well, to be honest, he told us a little about your past. Stuff about your mom."

    "Oh." Sero frowned. It did feel strange to have his business being told to his friends, but it wasn''t like he wanted to hide it or anything. If anything, Sero was more annoyed that Amaya and Nala heard it from his father rather than him.

    The silence stretched between them as they continued to drive. Sero looked out of the window, watching the people walking by on the sidewalk. Even though he''d lived in the city all his life, he never got tired of the sight.

    "Don''t worry, he didn''t tell us anything besides what you''ve already said." Amaya glanced at Sero, then back at the road. "He''s just worried about you, that''s all. He knows you''re going through a lot right now, and he just wants to make sure you have someone to lean on."

    "A couple years too late for that," Sero muttered under his breath. While he was thankful that his father cared about him, there was still a part of him that resented Tiero for seemingly abandoning him until now. He knew it wasn''t fair, since Sero did contribute by not reaching out as well, and it made it worse that his father was sick.

    At any rate, Sero did feel as if they were on the right path to patching things up. He pushed aside the conflicting thoughts within his mind, deciding that he''d see where his relationship with his father would go.

    "Oh, right," Sero began. "The quarter million gold hit my account. I''m about a hundred gold short now."

    "No worries," Amaya smiled at him. "Nala and I already set aside 150,000."

    "Holy shit- really?" Sero''s face lit up as he looked at Amaya, incredulous. He hadn''t expected his friends to help him out with the money, but the thought of them doing so made him feel warm inside. It was a bit of a blow to his pride, but he wasn''t about to turn down their generosity.

    "Yep. We can go ahead and schedule the surgery for tomorrow."

    The hospital came into view, its familiar towers looming over the neighborhood. Amaya expertly navigated the car through the crowded parking lot and found a spot not too far from the entrance. "Well," she said, turning to face Sero, "let''s go see your dad, shall we?"

    <hr>

    The pair went up to Tiero''s room, where they found him laughing with Nala, a rare expression on the Shadereaper.

    "Hey, Dad," Sero said as he and Amaya joined them.

    "Sero," Tiero smiled at his son. "I watched your match. It was incredible."Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    "Thanks, Dad," Sero replied with a grin as he sat down next to him. "I''m glad you enjoyed it."

    "We''ll leave you two alone," Amaya nodded to them as she and Nala walked out.

    "So," Sero awkwardly began after they left. "I got the deposit from the association. Amaya said that we can go ahead and schedule your surgery for tomorrow."

    Tiero''s face lit up with surprise. "Really?"

    "Yeah. Hopefully the timing of everything works out and I somehow am able to make it back from the tournament or something," Sero made a face. "In the event that I do make it all the way to the finals, I''m not sure if I''ll be able to be here for your surgery."

    "Don''t worry about that, son. Just focus on your tournament. I''m sure things will work out. And who knows, maybe you''ll make it to the finals, and I''ll get to see you after my surgery," Tiero said with a smile. "But even if you don''t, it''s not the end of the world. You''ve already made me proud."

    There it was again, the pride that Sero had always longed for from his father. It was nice to hear his father say that, even if it felt a bit unreal. "Thanks, Dad. Well, we''ll see what happens."

    Afterwards, the father and son grew silent, watching the matches on the screen. It seemed as though Raul and Kanna had won their matches already.

    "I''m sorry I wasn''t there for you, Sero," Tiero finally said. "I know I wasn''t the best dad. I should''ve done more."

    Sero looked his father in the eyes for a moment. "It''s fine," he quietly began. "It was a different time back then. We were both dealing with loss."

    "But I could''ve done better," Tiero insisted. "I could''ve been there for you."

    "Dad, you did the best you could. Honestly, I can understand what was going through your mind at the time. After I left, I was pretty angry at you, and I''m sure you felt the same way."

    "I don''t regret leaving like I used to," Sero continued, "but I think we both learned from it. I mean, look at us now. We''re here, together. And I''m not giving up on anything anymore, either. I think we can make this work. And I''ll make sure to be there for you, the same way I wish you had been there for me."

    Tiero smiled at his son, his eyes welling up with tears. "I''d like that, Sero. I''d like that very much."

    They sat in peaceful silence, diverting their attention back to the television. Sero felt a little better about his feelings towards his father, but there was still a lingering hurt when he thought about the past few years when he was at his lowest. He swallowed his anger, wanting to enjoy the time with his father instead.

    Sero watched onscreen as Elena easily won her match with that large reptile familiar of hers. He wondered if she had any other familiars at her disposal, and the competition was just too underwhelming to make her summon them.

    A knock at the door caught the father and son''s attention as it swung open. With a jolt, Sero realized he recognized the doctor.

    Although it had been a few years since his mother''s death, there was no mistake in Sero''s mind as he saw the same man who had taken care of her when she fell ill. The man had gray hair, neatly trimmed and combed. His face was lightly weathered with lines, round spectacles perched on his nose, and a kind smile that seemed to light up the room. His olive eyes gleamed with warmth as he noticed the two. Sero felt a pang in his heart as he recognized the doctor.

    "Hello, Sero. It''s good to see you again," the doctor said, stepping into the room. "I''m here to check on your father. He''s been doing quite well since his last checkup."

    "Dr. Malek." Sero croaked as painful memories flooded back to him. "It''s... good to see you too. I didn''t expect to see you here."

    Dr. Malek chuckled. "Yes, well, with the entire world having been flipped upside down, I find myself in a bit of a unique position. I was more than happy to take up a post here in the center of the 25th Zone." He smiled at Sero. "I saw your match yesterday. Who knew you would become an Ascendant¨C and a strong one at that?"

    Tiero cleared his throat, unable to meet the doctor''s gaze. "I''m proud of him, Doctor. He''s been working hard."

    "Yes, if only Val could see him now." Dr. Malek said endearingly.

    While he knew the doctor meant it as a kind gesture, Sero couldn''t help but feel a pang of sadness at the mention of his mother''s name. "Thanks, Doctor," he managed to say, his voice shaky. "I wish she could have been here, too."

    Dr. Malek nodded, turning back to Tiero. "Now, as I have discussed with the two ladies outside, I am under the impression that you have the funds to continue with this surgery, correct?"

    Tiero nodded, swallowing hard. "Yes, Doctor. My son has saved up enough for it."

    Dr. Malek smiled at them both. "That''s wonderful news. We can proceed with the surgery tomorrow as soon as you''re both ready. In the meantime, I''ll leave you two to enjoy the rest of the day." He turned to leave, pausing for a moment before he spoke again. "You know, Sero, I''ve always believed that you were destined for great things. Your mother felt it too. Just remember that, no matter what challenges life throws at you, you can always overcome them."

    "Oh," Sero blinked in surprise. He wasn''t expecting that from someone he hadn''t seen in a couple of years. "Thanks."

    Dr. Malek nodded before leaving the room. As the door closed behind him, Tiero turned to face his son. There was a sadness in his eyes that Sero couldn''t quite understand. "Sero," he began, his voice thick with emotion. "I want you to know that I am proud of you. You''ve come so far, and I''m so grateful that you''re here with me today."

    "Dad," Sero shook his head. "Why are you acting like this will be the last time I''ll see you?"

    Tiero smiled sadly. "I just want to say all these things while I can, Sero. I''m not sure how much time we have left together, but I want you to know that I love you, and I''m proud of you. You''ve worked so hard, and you deserve every bit of happiness that comes your way."

    A lump formed in Sero''s throat, catching him by surprise. At first, he felt confused by his father¡¯s emotional words. But then his anger crept back, simmering within him. Why couldn''t his father have said this earlier, before he left, or even when they were apart? Why did it have to be now, when he was this ill?

    "Save that for after your surgery, Dad,¡± Sero did his best to keep his frustration in check. ¡°Telling me this now doesn''t feel right."

    Tiero''s face clouded over, and he reached out to take Sero''s hand. "I''m not saying this to make you feel guilty or anything, Sero. I just... I want you to know how I feel." He paused for a moment. "You don''t know the success rate of the surgery, do you?"

    Sero frowned. "No, why?"

    Just then, the gradual heaviness that had grown on Tiero''s face finally registered to Sero. He felt a cold, sinking feeling in his stomach.

    "Out of the 200 or so mana-organ transplant surgeries in the last year... only 5 of them were successful."

 Chapter 33: The Studentâ€™s Student

    Sero tried his best to engage in the conversation when Nala and Amaya came back into the room, but found himself still reeling from learning of the rate of success. He tried to force his Rationality to activate, but to no avail.

    It was also unsettling to see his father act as if nothing was wrong, talking up a storm with the two women. Sero figured either they were unaware of the ridiculously low success rate or they were simply in denial. He could hardly blame them for that, though. It was easier to hope for the best, to pretend that everything would turn out all right, than to face the harsh reality that might be waiting around the corner.

    "Champion," Aphiel''s voice spoke softly in his thoughts, her voice gentle and reassuring. "Everything will be ok."

    "Thanks, Aphiel," Sero sighed to himself. "I guess I need some time to process all of this."

    "Of course. I am always here if you need me."

    "Hey, I¡¯m going to grab something from the vending machines," Sero stood up and stretched, figuring some time alone to himself would ease his mind. "You guys want anything?"

    Both Amaya and Tiero shook their heads, but Nala¡¯s attention eagerly snapped to Sero.

    "Two packs of sour strips, please," Nala requested, her violet eyes sparkling with excitement. "And can you get some of those chocolate bars with the caramel filling? The big ones. Oh, and a fizzy soda."

    "Um. Yeah, ok..." Sero said with a weird look as he stepped out.

    In the hallway, Sero paused for a moment to take a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. The low success rate of his father''s surgery weighed heavily on him, but he couldn''t afford to lose hope. He forced his Rationality to activate, this time with success as it worked to calm his nerves and clear his head.

    Sero walked down to the end of the hallway, where the vending machines were. His eyes twitched at the prices of Nala''s snacks, but he bought them regardless.

    "Hey, mister. Are you the Scholar fraud?"

    Sero whirled around then tilted his head down at the small boy standing there. He looked about ten, with messy brown hair and large, pale orange curious eyes. He was dressed in khaki shorts and a t-shirt, with a visitor''s tag that read ''Casey'' stuck to his chest. The boy had his arms folded as he glanced up at Sero with a determined look.

    "Uh, I''m a Scholar, yes." Sero shifted the snacks in his arms to hold them better. Whose kid was this?

    The boy named Casey nodded in confirmation. "So, you''re the dirty fraud."

    Sero fought the urge to punt the brat down the hallway. He gazed at Casey for a moment, feeling his Rationality activating.

    "What do you want, kid?" Sero managed to keep his temper in check.

    "I watched you on TV," The boy began. "There''s no way you''re that strong."

    Sero raised an eyebrow. "You''ve got me there. I suppose it must be some sort of conspiracy, then. Or maybe... I don''t know. Maybe I actually am?"

    Casey frowned. "I''m not that stupid. If you''re really that strong, then prove it."

    For a moment, Sero stared at him. He glanced around the peaceful atmosphere of the hallway.

    "And how do you think I should do that? We''re in a hospital, you know."

    Casey unfurled his arms and gazed directly into Sero''s eyes. There was a fire in his eyes, a hunger that desired strength. Sero found it hard to believe that such a young child could have that sort of look.

    "Teach me how to become strong, then."

    Sero blinked in surprise, caught off guard by Casey''s request. He slipped the snacks into his Shadow Shift space.

    "And what makes you think I''d want to teach you?" He knelt down to Casey''s level.

    "To prove to me that you''re strong." The boy replied evenly.

    Sero felt his irritation rising again and had to remind himself that Casey was just a kid. Still, his bold attitude was something even Sero had to admire about the boy.

    "Sorry kid," Sero shook his head. "First off, you''re way too young to be thinking about getting strong. Second, are you even an Ascendant?"

    "Yeah, I am. My Sponsor is Hanuman, god of strength and courage. I am a Warrior class." Casey glared defiantly at Sero.

    A quick analysis told him that Casey did have a mana aura, but it was far greater than what a Warrior class should have. Sero narrowed his eyes.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    "Champion, he seems to be telling the truth, though I cannot verify who his god is." Aphiel confirmed in his thoughts. "I also doubt he is a Warrior."

    "All right, I believe you''re an Ascendant. But you''re definitely not a Warrior." Sero met the boy''s gaze.

    "I am!" Casey hesitated for a moment. "Ok, fine, I''m not. I''m a Mage class, but that doesn''t matter. Will you teach me or not?"

    Sero took a slow, deep breath, searching through Casey''s eyes. He didn''t see any malice, just determination and a spark of something else... Sero couldn''t quite put his finger on it.

    "Why?" He finally spoke, curious as to why this boy wanted to learn from him. "For what reason would you need to grow stronger at your age?"

    "Because..." Casey looked away. "Because my grandma''s sick with the Outbreak Plague. She''s raised me ever since my parents left me on her doorstep, and I want to be able to take care of her."

    Sero considered this for a moment. He didn''t have any personal experience with family, considering his mother wasn''t around anymore and he recently found his father again, but he could understand the desire to protect those you cared for. And even though this kid was brash and had the audacity to call him a fraud, there was something genuine about him. In fact, Sero admitted to seeing a part of himself within the boy.

    "Fine," Sero sighed as he stood up. "I''ll see what I can do."

    Casey looked taken aback. Sero figured he expected the Scholar to continue resisting.

    "Oh," The boy stammered. "I mean, right! Thank you." Casey bowed his head.

    "Yeah, whatever," Sero waved a hand dismissively, slightly embarrassed by the act. "I''m not the best at teaching, but I''ll do my best after the tournament."

    "Why not now?" Casey looked back up at him, his eyes shining with determination and excitement. Sero couldn''t help but think of Enzo. Did he feel the same way when he trained him?

    "I, uh... my father. I have to make sure he''s fine first." Sero slipped past Casey towards Tiero''s room. "I''ll see you around soon, though."

    <hr>

    Even though Sero said his goodbyes, he didn''t expect Casey to follow him back to his father''s room. Sitting off to the corner, Sero watched as Casey quickly befriended not only Tiero, but Amaya and Nala as well.

    "My grandma has the sickness too," Casey finished explaining, sitting at the edge of Tiero''s bed. "And since she''s the only one taking care of me, I have to stay here with her. I take classes online."

    "How long have you guys been here?" Nala asked, nibbling on her sour strips.

    "Um, about a month or two? I don''t know, I lost track of time." Casey replied, chewing on the chocolate Nala shared with him.

    "It''s just been you and your grandma here all this time?" Amaya asked, looking concerned for the boy. "No other friends or family?"

    "Yup. My parents abandoned us a few years back, and we never saw them again. I don''t really have friends, either."

    "I''m sorry to hear that, Casey." Tiero smiled reassuringly. "But, I think that your grandma really appreciates you being here."

    "Thanks, Mr. Tiero," Casey said softly. He paused for a moment, then continued, "I just want to be strong enough to take care of her, you know? That''s why I asked Mr. Fraud to teach me. I mean, Mr. Sero."

    Sero''s eyes twitched.

    "I hope you don''t mind me asking, but why did you want Sero to teach you? Wouldn''t another Mage be better?" Amaya asked, making it a point not to glance at Sero, who felt his irritation rising again.

    "Because I saw what he can do on TV," Casey replied, his mouth covered in chocolate. "If he can keep getting back up after taking all those hits, then so can I. And plus, his skills are cool."

    "Well, most of his skills are ripped off of other Ascendants." Nala bluntly interjected.

    "That''s true..." Casey pondered for a moment. "But, he''s still good at taking hits."

    "Maybe he''s just really good at acting like he''s taking hits," Nala retorted, earning a snicker from Amaya.

    "Ok, I''m sitting right here," Sero spoke up, annoyed at how casually they were talking about him. "And no, every hit was real, and they hurt like a b-" He caught himself. "And they hurt real bad."

    "I believe you, son," Tiero smiled, looking back at the kid. "I''m sure Sero will help you grow stronger, Casey. He''s gotten this strong in so little time, after all."

    "If he''s no good, then I can also teach you magic," Amaya leaned in closer to Casey. "I''m a Spellblade, so I advanced from the Mage class!"

    "Me too," Nala chipped in as she sipped her soda. "Advanced as a Shadereaper."

    Casey''s eyes shone with wonder at the two women, apparently forgetting about Sero already.

    Sero sighed, watching as the matches on TV concluded. The sun was beginning to set outside, painting the sky in a gradient of red and orange. Just a little while ago, Sero had been spiraling with the knowledge of the surgery''s low success rate, but meeting Casey and the laughter of the group now had helped him cast aside his worries.

    "Aww, my little bookworm looks so content."

    Sero didn''t have to turn his head to know that Kit had popped into the room. The other four quickly noticed her presence, surprised at the newcomer.

    "Hi there! I''m Kit, nice to meet you." The Paradox smiled at Tiero and Casey. Instead of the tournament uniform Sero had gotten used to, she defaulted back to her dark-blue jeans and a brown short-sleeved shirt, complete with black boots.

    "Oh, I''m Tiero. Sero''s father." He said, completely mesmerized by her. Casey wasn''t as enthralled, but he did look at her in awe.

    "I''m Casey, Mr. Sero''s student."

    "What?" Kit glanced back at Sero with a mischievous gleam in her mismatched eyes. "Enzo''s student has a student of his own?"

    "No, it''s not like- never mind." Sero gave up trying to explain.

    "Are you my son''s girlfriend?" Tiero suddenly asked, shocking everyone in the room. Amaya''s jaw dropped, Nala raised an eyebrow, and Casey simply glanced at everyone. Only Kit seemed unperturbed.

    "Hmm... am I?" Kit smirked as she slinked over to Sero. "I''m sure he''d love that, but sadly, no."

    "What are you doing here, Kit?" Sero tried to change the topic, feeling his face heat up.

    "Oops, that''s right," Kit tilted her head. "Your teacher wants to meet up with you. Treat you out to dinner or something along those lines." The Paradox glanced at the others. "You guys wouldn''t mind if I steal him for a moment, do you? I promise to bring him back."

    "Of course, go ahead," Tiero agreed before Sero could say anything. "I''ve got good company here."

    "Wait, hold on¨C"

    "Yeah, Nala and I will keep your father company until visiting hours are over, right?" Amaya asked the Shadereaper, who nodded nonchalantly.

    "Mr. Sero, I''ll make sure your dad is safe!" Casey pounded a fist over his chest.

    "Well, that settles it," Kit smiled down at Sero. "Come on."

 Chapter 34: A Gathering of the Elites

    Half-expecting Kit to divert his attention so that she could use her Cat Paradox, she once again subverted his expectations as they simply walked out of the hospital. They reached her car, which was a deep shade of red, almost black. It sat low, nearly touching the ground, its chrome wheels sparkling under the sunset. Sero couldn''t tell which sports car he liked better, Kit''s or Amaya''s.

    "Does everyone own a nice car?" Sero muttered as he marveled at how the doors opened upwards instead of sideways. "Or is it just something the rich can afford?"

    Kit giggled as they stepped in, a scent of cleanliness wafting up Sero''s nose. "Nope, this is Enzo''s car. I don''t really need a vehicle, remember?"

    "What? He just let you borrow his car?" Sero asked, surprised.

    "Technically no," The Paradox stuck her tongue out, then reached over and opened the glove box. "But, it is a nice way to keep you distracted."

    "Keep me distracted?" Sero asked, as he glanced into the glove box, seeing tiny bottles of liquor neatly arranged in rows. "Distracted from what-"

    "We''re here!" Kit smirked as she got out of the car. With a start, Sero glanced around, seeing that they were parked in front of the familiar Korean barbecue restaurant. He realized the Paradox had tricked him once again, but he had to admit that it was clever.

    The pair walked inside, catching sight of the Demonic Judge already sitting at a table by himself. He had taken off his suit jacket, his sleeve cuffs rolled up. He noticed the two and nodded in acknowledgment.

    "Kit. Sero." Enzo greeted the two as they sat down across from him.

    "Hey, Enzo." Sero took in the sight of all the meat and alcohol that sat on the table. Some of the meat was already on the grill, cooking and drafting an aroma that made Sero¡¯s stomach growl.

    "I saw your matches," Enzo jumped straight in, pouring out two shots of liquor into some glasses. "Not bad."

    "Thanks." A small sense of pride rose up in Sero, but he stifled it, anticipating Enzo¡¯s next words.

    To his surprise, the Demonic Judge simply slid a glass over to Kit, raising his own in toast to Sero. Kit smirked and took her glass, clinking it against Enzo¡¯s then downed it with him.

    "That¡¯s it?" Sero asked, unsure of how to proceed.

    "What do you mean?" Enzo raised an eyebrow. "You expected me to say something else?"

    "Or¡­ did you want to drink with us?" Kit leaned against Sero¡¯s shoulder and looked up with a playful gaze.

    "N-no, I was just¡­" Sero glanced away from her, his face burning in embarrassment. "Sorry, I was just expecting you to be like ¡®but don¡¯t get too full of yourself¡¯."

    The Demonic Judge snorted, amused.

    "I''ve seen enough," he said, pouring himself another shot. "You''re not that bad. You''ve got spirit, Sero. And I''ve seen enough of that in the tournaments to know it can take you far. You''ve got the fundamentals down pat, you''ve just been... lacking in confidence. That''s something you can work on, yeah?"

    "Confidence? This little bookworm?" Kit raised an eyebrow. "Have you even met him?"

    "Maybe confidence wasn¡¯t the right word," Enzo sat back and crossed his arms. "More like¡­ drive? I¡¯m not exactly sure how to describe it. While you¡¯ve been fighting well, you still seem stiff. In your matches, you fought as if you were trying to win, not as if you¡¯ve already won. Does that make sense?"

    "I-I guess?" Sero replied, not really getting the Demonic Judge¡¯s point.

    "Eh, whatever," Enzo sighed as he poured Kit a shot as well. "You¡¯ve exceeded expectations; that¡¯s good enough for now."

    As the two S-ranks downed their drinks once more, Sero felt himself glowing with pride from Enzo¡¯s praise. Though he still wasn¡¯t sure what Enzo meant, at least it didn¡¯t sound that bad.

    "Anyway," Enzo bared his teeth after taking his shot. "I didn¡¯t call you out here just to celebrate your wins."

    "I figured." Sero nodded his thanks as Kit loaded his plate with cooked meat. "I have a feeling you want to know what I found out during the tournament?"

    "Good instincts," Enzo admitted with a wolfish grin. "But, not exactly. Amaya and Kit already relayed what you¡¯ve told them; Cassandra and Max confirmed your observations."

    "Who¡¯s Cassandra and Max¨C"

    "The main reason why I called you out here is to partially make good on my promise," Enzo held up a finger to stop Sero. "I trust that Kit gave you my message?"

    "Message?" Sero thought back to their previous conversations. "Uh, something along the lines of you saying good luck or I¡¯ll beat your ass- wait, meeting some of the other Janitors?" He began to salivate, and it wasn¡¯t because of the aroma of the food. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    The Demonic Judge chuckled and shared a glance with Kit. "Yeah. I invited Cassandra and Max to come as well." Enzo then made a face. "And the old man."

    As if on cue, Sero sensed an outrageously powerful presence emitting from the restaurant entrance. He whirled around, seeing the door open and Gregor stepping inside as the last customer walked past him.

    Dressed in a similar black suit as Enzo, the leader of the Janitors was still imposing as ever, radiating a commanding aura. His violet eyes scanned the establishment, lighting up with warmth as he saw the trio.

    "Sero, it¡¯s been a while." Gregor said as he slid in next to Enzo. The Demonic Judge already made the booth seem tight, but the addition of the Janitors leader made it look even tinier. Gregor nodded to Kit. "My dear, thank you for clearing out the restaurant."

    "No problem." She smiled. Sero glanced at her.

    "Did you¡­ use your skill on the customers?"

    "Maybe." Kit stuck her tongue out playfully.

    "Is¡­ is that ethical?"

    The Paradox simply put a finger to her lips and winked.

    "Couldn¡¯t you have pulled up a chair, Boss?" Enzo scowled as he shifted over to accommodate him. "How am I supposed to go to the restroom now?"

    "You¡¯ll manage, Enzo." Gregor chuckled as he settled in. "Besides, it¡¯s a more amiable atmosphere if we¡¯re all sitting together, no?"

    "I agree," Kit smiled as she leaned her head on Sero¡¯s shoulders once again.

    Faced with three S-ranks at the same time was an unreal, almost overwhelming experience. Even though Sero had been around Enzo the longest, he was still getting used to his enormous pressure, so the inclusion of Kit¡¯s and Gregor¡¯s aura was a little much to adjust to. It didn¡¯t help that Kit¡¯s flirting was also causing some other problems.

    "So, before getting down to business," Gregor began as Enzo poured him a shot. "I have to say, I''m impressed with your matches. You''ve been garnering a lot of popularity, both in the media and with the guilds nationwide."

    "Thank you, sir." Sero felt another surge of pride. Gregor downed his shot and smiled warmly.

    "I knew you''d do well. But now, let''s discuss the more serious details. What have you noticed during the tournament?"

    Sero recapped his observations to the group as they began to eat, noting the subtle worried glances between the three S-ranks.

    "That''s a little concerning," Gregor mused after Sero finished. "If only the source was clearer in their report."

    "By the time I got there, the source had already been terminated," Enzo grimaced. "Someone got to them before they could finish their coded message."

    "And we''re sure it was the work of Culling?" Gregor asked.

    "With such brutal marks? Boss, if it wasn''t them, then we''d be dealing with another dangerous group. Besides, the code Duke deciphered definitely said that Culling was involved."

    Gregor made a low hum, lost in thought. Then, he glanced over to Kit. "You didn''t detect anything out of the ordinary as well?"

    "Nope. Not even with my Cat Paradox."

    The leader of the Janitors drummed his fingers on the table for a moment before directing his attention back to Sero.

    "Well, whatever the case is, let''s set that conversation aside for now. At the moment, there are two key pieces of information I need to tell you, Sero." Gregor leaned forward, his eyes suddenly serious. "First concerns your role in the tournament. It is no longer a requirement for you to make it through to the finals."

    "Oh." Even though he felt the pressure lift from his shoulders, Sero couldn''t help but also feel slightly disappointed that his role was no longer as important. At least now, he could focus on winning the tournament for his father instead.

    "Hey, don''t you dare slack off," Enzo growled, as if sensing Sero''s thoughts. "I didn''t pour hours training you just for you to blow it off in the end."

    "And second, the association as well as the Janitors are pushing for the tournament to be extended for one more day. That means the final match will occur on Monday. Instead of 3 matches back to back this Sunday, it will only be the qualifiers and the semi-finals." Sero heard the door open, but kept his attention on Gregor.

    "The reason for the prolonging is that although there are no discernable activities from the Culling, we believe that they may act during the finals of the tournament, as per the message we received from the source," Gregor continued. "To incite them, we have resorted to extending the tournament further, to see if they will react. Most likely they may have planned everything to occur tomorrow, but perhaps a delay in schedule may cause them to hasten things."

    "You called us here to go over the plan again?" A masculine voice spoke behind Sero.

    When he turned around, he saw a man and woman standing there, both in business-wear similar to Enzo and Gregor. The man had tanned skin, with short and messy black hair and an edged stubble. His gray eyes narrowed at the sight of Enzo, as if his presence annoyed him. His white dress shirt was also unbuttoned at the collar, though it was untucked.

    As for the woman, she was incredibly voluptuous, emphasized by the tight fitting blazer over her white blouse and black slacks. She had voluminous dark brown hair that stopped below her shoulder blades, and an unfocused gleam in her pale light blue eyes. Her skin was light and fair, with a mole underneath her right eye.

    Sero could sense their strength, comparable to the three S-ranks sitting with him. He realized why Kit had sent out the customers earlier; it wasn''t just for privacy, but for the civilians'' sake as even he struggled to adapt to the auras that weighed down on his senses.

    "Ah, Maximillian, Cassandra. Please, join us," Gregor smiled at the two. "We were just going over new strategies with Sero here."

    "Ooo, is this the Scholar?" Cassandra asked with a breathy voice. She plopped down on the other side of Sero, gazing at him with a curious yet empty look. "He''s adorable!"

    Sero became aware of a threatening intent. He cautiously turned to Kit and was surprised at her tight-lipped smile directed at the other woman. There was no way to be sure, but it seemed like there was a hint of protectiveness or jealousy in her mismatched eyes. That was something Sero thought he''d never see on her face.

    "Why should I? I already know the plan, and I don''t need to meet this guy." Max continued to stand, folding his arms as he sneered at Sero. A wave of deja vu washed over Sero, overshadowed by his irritation at the man''s attitude towards him.

    "Just sit down, Max. It''s important that you listen to the Boss." Enzo growled, glaring at him.

    "Oh, sure, like I''ll take orders from Gregor''s loyal mutt."

    "Say that again." The Demonic Judge stood, exuding a menacing aura. Max remained unfazed, emitting his own dangerous pressure.

    "Oh... I''m going to die." Sero thought to himself.

 Chapter 35: The Conqueror

    Sero sat there, trying to withstand the pressure from Enzo, Max, and Kit, though the latter directed it more towards Cassandra, who was still staring at him with that inquisitive yet ditzy expression.

    "Gentlemen, please, let''s just calm down." Gregor offered a smile at the two standing men. Enzo continued to glare at Max, who returned the look without flinching. Kit clutched onto Sero''s arm, pulling him slightly closer to her.

    "I dare you, say that again." The Demonic Judge growled at his fellow mercenary.

    "What if I do? Are you going to fight me again? We''re surrounded by metal." Max replied evenly, holding his ground.

    "Metal won''t mean shit against my fists."

    "Try it, see what happens."

    "Stop."

    Although Gregor''s voice was quiet, there was a subtle deadliness to it. Just that one word caused everyone at the table to freeze for a moment, paralyzed by fear. Earlier, Sero had felt the auras coming from all four S-ranks, but now, Gregor''s dominance completely quelled the room. He had to lower his head from the sheer weight he sensed from the leader of the Janitors. Even Kit''s grip on his arm weakened as the Paradox straightened up.

    Both Enzo and Max looked away, though their anger was still evident in their expressions. Enzo sat down slowly while Max reluctantly pulled up a chair to sit at the end of the table.

    "Thank you," Gregor gave Sero an apologetic nod. "Sorry for that, Sero. My mercenaries aren''t usually like this."

    "N-no, it''s fine." Sero stammered, terrified of saying anything more. Strangely, his body had buzzed earlier, reducing the mental strain from Gregor''s pressure, but Sero didn''t think much of it.

    "Well, with those introductions out of the way, let''s move on." Gregor clasped his hands together. "As I was saying before, while it is true that you no longer have to stay in the tournament, I want to point out that it would be beneficial if you do. Having you make it all the way to the finals would allow us some sort of control of what happens inside the stadium and the arena, since you would be in the know as well. With that being said, I am aware of an agreement that Enzo promised you?"

    Sero blinked in surprise. "Uh," he hesitated, glancing at the Demonic Judge.

    "Yeah, I promised him I''d introduce him to the other Janitors," Enzo scowled as he spoke up. "I''m fine with Cassandra, but I wish someone other than that asshole was available."

    "I can make that fork you''re holding stab you right now." Max snarled back.

    "Gentlemen." Gregor silenced the pair with another steely gaze. "In any case, I will also support Enzo''s decision to reward you, Sero. I assume you''d be eager to copy Cassandra''s and Maximillian''s skills?"

    For a second, Sero almost forgot where he was as he immediately salivated, but he quickly composed himself as he nodded with excitement. "Yes, please. Er, yes please, sir."

    Gregor smiled with amusement as he turned to Cassandra and Max. "If you both would, please demonstrate a single skill for Sero to see."

    "Wait, is this some sort of show-and-tell?" Max narrowed his eyes in contempt. "Why should I show this kid anything?"

    Cassandra, on the other hand, cheerfully extended a perfectly manicured hand over the table. Within seconds, a white swirl of mana gathered underneath her hand, quickly consolidating into what seemed like sharp pieces of floating glass.

    Sero''s body buzzed with power as he copied the skill, ''Glassmake'', which enabled the caster to conjure glass out of thin air. He blinked as his Perfect Analysis learned that only glass created through the skill could be telepathically controlled.

    "Is this enough, Gregor?" Cassandra asked with a content smile. The leader of the Janitors nodded with satisfaction. As Cassandra giggled to herself and began to play around with the floating glass, Gregor raised an eyebrow at Sero.

    "Have you copied it?"

    In response, Sero held his hand out, replicating the skill. His green mana swirled around and then conjured up a few pieces of floating glass. He marveled at the feeling of being able to move them around with just his thoughts.

    "Well damn, seeing it in person is pretty impressive." Max quietly admitted.

    Gregor chuckled as Sero also began to play with his glass. "Cassandra''s class is the Glass Queen, a unique type. As far as we know, she is the only one in the world." He turned to Max. "If you would as well?"

    "Fine, but I¡¯m not showing him Metalmake."

    Sero quickly dispersed his glass, directing his full attention to Max, who scowled. Reluctantly, he held out his hand.

    Suddenly, the fork in Enzo''s hands shot out of his grasp and into Max''s palm. Sero''s body buzzed, but to his surprise, his analysis told him that it wasn''t a skill. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Before Sero could say anything, the fork in Max''s hand began to glow with a silver light, quickly contorting itself until it had morphed into a small rod. Sero copied the skill as ''Form Shift'', which could reshape, reshape, or alter the density of any metal into whatever the caster wanted.

    "What- Hey, that was my fork!" Enzo snarled as Max finished mutating his utensil. Gregor ignored the pair as he nodded at the demonstration.

    Sero quickly held his hand out, trying to call forth his fork, but nothing happened. Frowning, he picked up his fork and then activated Form Shift, successfully reshaping it into a knife.

    "As I thought," Gregor murmured after Sero replicated Max¡¯s skill. "You¡¯re unable to copy their passives."

    "What passives do they have?" Sero asked as he watched Enzo try to swipe his reformed fork from Max behind Gregor.

    "Max¡¯s class is the Iron Tyrant, giving him the ability to manipulate metal," The leader of the Janitors explained. "Both he and Cassandra have the ¡®Kinesis¡¯ passive, which allows them to telepathically move their respective dominions."

    "Ohh," Sero understood what he meant. "The Glassmake and Metalmake only allow me to control the ones I make myself, right?"

    "Indeed. Though Max has refused to show you Metalmake, he did offer the Form Shift to you, so I can¡¯t force him to perform another skill," Gregor smiled as he smacked both of the men¡¯s heads beside him. Max reluctantly undid the skill on Enzo¡¯s fork and tossed it back to him. "Have you had any luck with figuring out your Influence passive?"

    "How did you- Er, no, not yet." Sero remembered how Gregor seemed to know him even before they met. He probably already knew more about Sero than he did himself.

    "That¡¯s unfortunate. I would have loved to see how that worked as well." The leader of the Janitors shrugged. An abrupt mischievous glint flashed in his glowing violet eyes. "Sero, how would you like to copy one of my skills?"

    Cassandra¡¯s glass trembled, then dispersed into white mana as the other 3 S-ranks stiffened. There was a noticeable tension and nervousness permeating the air, but Sero didn¡¯t think much of it as an overwhelming greed and excitement flooded his buzzing body.

    "R-really?" Sero swallowed hard. "You¡¯d let me copy one of your skills?"

    "Well," Gregor chuckled with amusement as he leaned back. "As much as I would want to, it seems as though you cannot."

    "Huh?"

    "Sero," Enzo forced through gritted teeth. "The Boss is using his skill. Use your goddamn analysis."

    The buzzing in Sero¡¯s body made sense as he activated Perfect Analysis. His jaw hung open in shock as he examined Gregor.

    "I know you must be surprised," Gregor grinned as his eyes glowed brighter. "You should be learning about the ¡®King¡¯s Will¡¯ by now, yes?"

    Sero nodded, shivering with fear as he absorbed the information. King¡¯s Will, a skill that forcibly made anyone in a set vicinity submit to the caster¡¯s desires. The stronger the caster, the more dominant the skill was. But that wasn¡¯t the main reason why Sero was filled with a rapidly growing fright.

    "I believe that my passive, ¡®Absolute¡¯, is why you cannot copy my skills," Gregor explained as his eyes dimmed. All 4 S-ranks suddenly relaxed, as if released from an invisible hold. "Absolute designates me as the ¡®One¡¯, someone who cannot be replicated, controlled, or replaced. I may also overpower the existence of others. It¡¯s a bit confusing to understand at first, but it fits perfectly with my class."

    "What¡¯s¡­ what¡¯s your class?" Sero whispered nervously.

    "To formally reintroduce myself, I am the leader of the Janitors, the 5th strongest S-rank in the world," Gregor began as he straightened up. Sero suddenly felt like he was staring up at a mountain. "I am Gregor Stone, the Conqueror."

    A massive surge of fear and submission crashed over Sero as he felt the full force of Gregor¡¯s pressure. It was endless, heavy, and utterly terrifying. Gregor always had an intimidating and imposing aura, but at that moment, it was an unfathomable presence. Sero wasn¡¯t looking at a father, or a leader, he was staring up at a king, the strongest person Sero had ever met.

    His breath hitched in his throat, but just then, his Rationality activated, lessening the mental assault that seemed to radiate off of Gregor. The Conqueror raised an eyebrow, sensing the diminished effect on Sero.

    "Has your Rationality passive kicked in?" He asked with a slight smile.

    "Y-yeah."

    Gregor let out a rumbling laugh, repressing his aura. Sero¡¯s body deflated as he let out his breath he didn¡¯t realize he was holding. The other S-ranks also seemed to relax as Gregor regained the kind twinkle in his eyes.

    "You never cease to amaze me, Sero!" The Conqueror continued to chuckle, grabbing a bottle of alcohol and some glasses. "I never imagined I¡¯d meet another person who¡¯s somewhat resistant to me."

    Resistant? That was him being resistant to Gregor? Sero shivered as he tried not to think what it would feel like if he wasn¡¯t as resistant as the Conqueror claimed.

    "Damn, Boss. Can¡¯t you give us a warning the next time you do that?" Enzo complained as he rubbed his tattooed neck. "Or at least do it to Max only."

    "You¡¯re his dog, it¡¯s only natural for him to do it to you."

    "Here you are," Gregor passed out the glasses as he ignored the two men . "My dears, are you ok?" He looked at Cassandra and Kit.

    "I¡¯m ok!" The Glass Queen smiled cheerfully as she accepted her glass.

    "I¡¯m fine." The Paradox replied, taking her glass as she scooted closer to Sero.

    The Conqueror slid a glass towards Sero and held it there, an inquisitive look in his eyes. "I won¡¯t force you if you don¡¯t want to."

    Sero couldn¡¯t explain it, but even though he wanted to say no, he reached out and accepted the glass. It had been a couple years since he drank, and Sero began to recall the unpleasant memories resurfacing as he got a whiff of the alcohol. His nose wrinkled as he smelled the cognac.

    "My little bookworm is drinking with us?" Kit glanced at him with an eager gleam in her eyes. "This is a special moment!"

    "Oh? Does he usually not drink with you guys?" Cassandra tilted her head at him. "Should we order more?"

    "Hold on, who¡¯s paying for all of this?" Enzo asked warily as he grabbed his glass.

    "I didn¡¯t want to be here in the first place." Max grumbled as he hesitantly took his.

    "Cheers," Gregor raised his glass in a toast. "To the success of the operation, and to Sero, a man of many talents."

    As everyone clinked their glasses together, Sero tried to push his memories away. With everything weighing on his mind, from the pressure of the tournament, the Culling operation, and his father¡¯s surgery, Sero found the urge to drink to forget his worries for the moment.

    It was funny, since he did the same thing after his mother died.

 Chapter 36: Reality Checks

    Because it had been a while since he drank, Sero found himself already intoxicated after 3 shots. In the back of his mind, his Rationality threatened to cleanse and restore his mind, but Sero stifled the urge. For some reason, he wanted to enjoy this moment a little longer.

    The four S-ranks were more drunk than he was; Gregor seemed the most composed with Kit surprisingly refusing to use her Cat Paradox to remain sober.

    "So, you¡¯ve never had a girlfriend before?" Cassandra dreamily asked him, her pale blue eyes half-closed. "But, you¡¯re adorable!" She leaned in closer to him, her chest swaying into view.

    "R-really? I¡¯ve never had anyone say that to me¡­" Sero found it hard to meet the Glass Queen¡¯s gaze. Someone yanked on his arm and Sero fell to the side, straight into Kit¡¯s chest.

    "Easy, princess," Kit hissed, wrapping her arms around Sero¡¯s head. She smelled sweet, like strawberries. "I claimed him first."

    "Hmm," Cassandra smiled, unbothered. "We can share him, can¡¯t we?"

    "You guys," Enzo growled, his face flushed red from the alcohol. "Leave the kid alone. He¡¯s probably getting too excited between the two of you."

    "Ha! Says the womanizer. You''re probably jealous that he''s getting the attention of women, not you." Max sneered at the Demonic Judge, his face equally as flushed.

    "Oh, stop it, you two." Gregor put a hand on each of their shoulders, trying to diffuse the tension. "We''re all here to have a good time, remember?"

    "It''d be better if he wasn''t here." Enzo grumbled.

    "I feel the same way."

    "Didn''t you fuck up a job a few weeks ago?"

    "Only because you didn''t do what you were supposed to!"

    "Um," Sero interjected, trying to find some way to insert himself in the conversation so that he could escape the gazes of the two women beside him. "What do guys do, exactly?"

    Both Enzo and Max stopped their bickering as they looked at Sero, as if they had forgotten he was there. A smirk slowly spread across the Demonic Judge''s face.

    "Sero, what''s our branch name?" Enzo asked with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

    "Janitors."

    "And what do regular janitors do?"

    "Clean...?"

    Enzo nodded, satisfied with Sero''s answer as he sat back and closed his eyes sagely. Max stared incredulously at the Demonic Judge.

    "That didn''t explain anything to him!"

    "It''s not supposed to," Enzo replied, opening his eyes again. "You have to understand the context."

    "What the fuck are you on about? What context?"

    "Well, it''s true we do ''clean up''," Cassandra jumped in with a spaced-out look as the two men began to bicker again. "But, that''s only the surface. We take on work that other Ascendants can''t handle, from spying, protection, infiltration... oh, and assassination!" The Glass Queen finished cheerfully, clapping her hands together.

    "...Pardon?"

    "It''s a bit more nuanced than that, but yes, that''s the gist of it," Gregor finally stepped in with an amused smile. "My Janitors are people with... troubled pasts, making them perfect to perform tasks that are morally ambiguous."

    Despite still in the clutches of Kit''s arms, Sero couldn''t help but shiver. He recalled Enzo mentioning murder, and the way Cassandra casually highlighted assassination was unsettling.

    "We''re not bad guys," Gregor chuckled as he noticed the look on Sero''s face. "We are contracted secretly by even governments to eliminate harmful groups. We never step out of line."

    Sero nodded, though he didn''t feel reassured, especially with the drastic change Gregor himself displayed when he used his Conqueror skills. Kit began to stroke Sero''s head comfortingly.

    "Don''t worry my little bookworm," She purred as she pointedly stared at Cassandra, who shrugged nonchalantly. "I''ll keep you safe if anything happens."

    "Th-thanks..."

    Another round of shots was poured, everyone clinking their glasses together as they downed the alcohol. Sero barely noticed the way the meat and alcohol continued to appear on their table, figuring it was Kit''s doing that kept them supplied.

    As the night wore on, the conversations grew more heated, the alcohol loosening tongues and inhibitions. Enzo and Max continued to bicker, their insults growing ever more vicious, while the others watched with varying degrees of amusement. Shockingly, Gregor seemed to be enjoying the spectacle, his eyes gleaming as he allowed the two men to go at each other.

    "Should we... stop them before it gets out of hand?" Sero asked, trying to ignore the way Kit was clinging onto him like a... cat.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    "Oh, that''s just how they are," Cassandra telepathically pulled everyone''s glasses towards her as a floating bottle of liquor poured itself. "If it gets too rowdy, Gregor can just say a word and stop them."

    Sero''s phone buzzed and he glanced at it, seeing a text from Amaya asking where he was.

    "Oh shit," he muttered under his breath. "It''s almost eight; I have to get back."

    "I can take you back!" Kit smiled down at him. "After we take this shot!"

    "No," Gregor suddenly stood up. "I''ll take him right now. Let''s go, Sero."

    After much whining and pouting from Kit, Sero managed to wriggle himself free from her grasp. Though he was relieved, he did enjoy being held by her. Cassandra lazily waved goodbye as he slipped from the two women.

    "Wait, Boss, don''t tell me you''re gonna leave me with the tab." Enzo protested as he paused his bickering with Max. The Conqueror chuckled as he pulled out a black metal card and set it on the table.

    "Here, use my card. Feel free to continue eating and drinking." Gregor turned to Sero with a wink. "Ready?"

    <hr>

    Sero wasn''t sure what he was expecting, but he never would''ve guessed that the 5th strongest Ascendant would be driving a minivan. As Gregor drove them back to the hospital, Sero allowed his Rationality to activate, beginning to feel his intoxication wear off. He did feel a little awkward sitting there in silence.

    "So," The Conqueror began after a while. "I want you to be aware that I know of your situation with your father."

    Sero stiffened, but remained quiet. It was a little upsetting that everyone seemed to know a lot about his personal business.

    "I will admit, I did some background research the moment you caught my eye. Of course, I only learned the most basic information about you, to respect your privacy." Gregor continued, sensing Sero''s unwillingness to speak. "I know of your mother''s passing, and your period of no contact with your father. But, it was during that investigation that I was able to locate your father, and in turn, inform Amaya of his whereabouts."

    "Thanks." Sero quietly grunted in response as he stared out of the window.

    "As far as that goes, I did not pry any further." Gregor cleared his throat. "There''s a reason why I decided to have a word with you, though."

    When Sero didn''t reply, the Conqueror took that as a sign to continue. "I noticed the change in your attitude when I offered you that drink. You seemed troubled."

    They rolled to a stop at a red light. The building lights illuminated the streets as people bustled about. Sero turned his head to look at Gregor. "What do you mean by that?"

    The stoplight turned green, allowing them to drive forward. Gregor seemed to think about his words.

    "I''m not a mind reader, but I am a father." Gregor slowly started. "You don''t know anything about Nala''s mother, do you?"

    "No."

    "Well, she passed away when Nala was young. My daughter was always quiet, just like her mother, but she was expressive with her emotions." The Conqueror said quietly. "When we lost her mother, Nala stopped being so expressive, even with me. She started having the very same gaze you had earlier."

    "I''m not saying that I understand what you''re going through. You''ve come back to life after a year, and now you''ve reconnected with your father after all this time. Not to mention you''re a changed man, thrust into a role you probably didn''t want. I can only imagine the weight on your shoulders."

    Sero sighed to himself. Gregor was right, there was a lot on his mind, but Sero didn''t know how to deal with it. It wasn''t like he had much experience with it, either.

    "I don''t know for certain what your relationship is with your father, but I can say with confidence that as a father, he truly cares for you. We may not always show it, but we love our children very much."

    A lump formed in Sero''s throat as he swallowed hard. That was weird. His Rationality should be working to keep his emotions in check.

    "While it wasn''t exactly the same situation as yours, I was aware of Nala pulling away from me," Gregor continued. "Although I was still away during the time, I still tried my best to make sure she knew I was there for her. After the apocalypse occurred, I doubled my efforts to keep her safe. I can''t imagine what I would''ve done if I had lost her."

    Tears began to well up within Sero, but he blinked them away. When were they going to reach the hospital?

    "You don''t have to listen to this old man''s ramblings, but I just want to say that I''d do anything for my little girl. Even if I never saw her again, I''d want her to know that I would always love and care for her. If she was safe, then that would be all I wanted."

    Sero took a shaky breath. He wasn''t sure why he was sharing this with Gregor, but it felt good.  "My father... I don''t know. I just... I don''t know what to do." He finally said, keeping his gaze towards the window. "We''ve lost so much time, and now that I''ve got him back, it feels like I''m going to lose him again."

    The Conqueror was silent for a good while. They pulled onto the street where the hospital loomed up ahead.

    "Perhaps finding some forgiveness would be a good first step," Gregor said as they entered the parking lot. "You don''t have to forgive completely, but just see it from his point of view. You''re his son, his only family. I''m certain he has some regrets of his own that he''d want to confess to you."

    He turned off the car, turning to Sero. "No matter how strong you''ve become, it''s not a bad thing to rely on others. Family is one of the easiest to lean on."

    "Yeah," Sero croaked as he hid his face. "Thanks."

    <hr>

    The two headed to where Sero''s father was, where they saw Nala waiting outside the door.

    "Hi Sero. Hey, Dad," The Shadereaper stood up and stretched. "Amaya''s inside with Casey."

    "Well, I''ll be taking my leave then," Gregor nodded to Sero, then to Nala. "Do you need a ride home, sweetheart?"

    "Sure." She turned to Sero and waved. "See ya."

    Sero watched the father and daughter walk away before taking a deep breath and entering the room. He saw his father sleeping with Casey curled up next to him on the bed looking just as peaceful. Amaya had her back to Sero as she gazed up at the TV.

    "Hey," Sero whispered quietly to her as he sat next to the liaison. "How long have they been sleeping?"

    "Not long. They passed out around the time I texted you." Amaya replied softly. Sero glanced at the boy sleeping next to his father.

    "Doesn''t he have to go back to his grandma?"

    The Spellblade chuckled. "He went back earlier to let her know he''d be staying with us. Her room is a couple doors down the hall from here." Amaya''s smile faded. "Your dad''s surgery is tomorrow afternoon, when the matches begin."

    Sero took a deep breath. Gregor''s words weighed heavily on his mind as he gazed at his father''s face. It was peaceful and still, dangerously appearing as if he were dead.

    "It''s going to be fine," Amaya placed a gentle palm on his shoulder. "If you want, I can stay here with him."

    "Yeah, I''d appreciate that." Sero gave her a grateful smile. He carefully stood up, drawing closer to his father.

    "I''ll see you tomorrow, Dad." Sero whispered, placing his hand on Tiero''s arm. His father murmured in his sleep, but didn''t wake up. Sero turned back to Amaya. "I''m ready to go home."

 Chapter 37: New Friend, New Foes

    Sero laid in bed, his mind whirling with thoughts as the quiet buzzing of the city provided some ambient noise. Amaya had left quickly after getting an alert of an estimated C-rank monster outbreak and refused to let Sero accompany her, emphasizing that he needed to rest for tomorrow¡¯s match. He wondered if she also knew of the pending extension to the tournament.

    Earlier, he had tried reaching out to Aphiel, but she was surprisingly unresponsive, the first time in a while that they hadn¡¯t spoken at night. He figured she was with the other goddesses, and didn¡¯t want to bother her.

    Sero rolled over on his side and shut his eyes, trying to go to sleep. After a while, he gave up, deciding to test out his newly acquired Joker skill. Even though he copied the other four suits, Sero was more interested in what his Joker would look like.

    He walked out into his spacious living room, his body buzzing with power as he conjured a green playing card. He tossed it in front of him, watching as the card exploded with an emerald light, shaping itself into a humanoid shape. Just like Anya''s Joker, the familiar had the same attire, but it had a black and neon green pattern instead. The Joker''s opera mask that covered the top half of its face was trimmed with a brilliant jade as it stood up, gazing at Sero with its green eyes.

    "Master." The Joker bowed its head. Sero licked his lips eagerly.

    The Joker was feminine as he hoped, with straight black hair that stopped below her chin. Her pale skin shone brightly underneath the moonlight. The black and green outfit she wore also emphasized her curves, though she wasn''t as shapely as Anya''s Joker. That was all right with Sero.

    "Hmm... you''re very beautiful." Sero murmured to himself, noting that she was slightly taller than he was.

    The Joker tilted her head, a small blush appearing on her pale cheeks. "Thank you, Master." She took a step closer, her green eyes glinting with curiosity. "What is it you''d like me to do?"

    Sero folded his arms, tapping his finger on his chin. "Anya''s Joker seemed to have a mind of its own. Are you the same way?"

    The Joker tilted her head to the other side, her expression contemplative. "I do possess my own will and desires, Master. However, I am bound to obey your commands and serve you as you see fit. If you wish for me to act independently, I can attempt to do so."

    Sero clicked his tongue, unsatisfied with her answer. "Ah, but can you think for yourself?"

    The Joker paused for a moment, her eyes flickering with a spark of determination. "I can certainly attempt to do so, Master. However, I must warn you that my capabilities in that aspect are still untested and may not be as developed as Anya''s Joker''s. It may take some time for me to fully understand the extent of my independence."

    "Really?" Sero raised an eyebrow. "So, you''re saying that summoning you for the first time is kinda like being born?"

    The Joker considered his words carefully before responding. "It''s an interesting comparison, Master. I suppose it could be said that, in a way, I am experiencing a sort of rebirth within your presence. However, I must stress that I am still very much your servant and will always obey your commands."

    Sero sighed, begrudgingly accepting her answer. He''d have more time to understand how the Joker worked later. For now, he was content to learn that his Joker was a woman, and a cute one at that.

    "Assuming you can do everything Anya''s Joker could, I''m guessing you''re very strong, then?"

    Without warning, the Joker flicked her hand forward, conjuring a razor-sharp rapier that pierced the air next to Sero''s head. His face remained stoic, but his heart was racing. She didn''t give off any intent to harm him; still, Sero was unprepared for her demonstration. At least he didn¡¯t flinch.

    "Is this what you wanted to see, Master?" The Joker asked, her voice calm and controlled. Her green eyes never left his face as she slowly withdrew the rapier, causing it to vanish with a soft pop. "I can fight on par with Anya''s Joker, but my true strength lies in my versatility. I can adapt to any situation you throw at me, from close-quarters combat to long-range attacks. But I must warn you, Master. Anya''s Joker is unique. She''s been with her for a long time, and they share a deep bond. It will take time for us to develop that same connection. For now, I am here to serve you as your faithful companion and servant."

    "R-right." Sero cleared his throat. "Then, I look forward to fighting alongside you, Joker."

    He paused, making a face. "Nah, ''Joker'' sounds weird. Do you have another name you''d want me to call you by?"

    The Joker blinked, her green eyes narrowing. "My name is Joker, Master. It has been given to me by the Cardian race. It is who I am. However, if you insist on using another name, I will obey your command."

    "Cardian race?" Sero was unfamiliar with the term. Was there more to Anya''s class? If that was the case, then Sero started to wonder about the origins behind her Courtmancer class. What if his Scholar class had deeper layers to it? Did every class have unique origins?

    Sero shook his head, remembering that summoning the Joker was supposed to stop him from thinking too much.

    "Ok, I''ve decided," he said, sitting down on the armrest of his chair. "Your new name will be... Sting." Judging by how fast her rapier was, it seemed like a fitting name.

    The Joker nodded, her expression neutral. "As you wish, Master. From now on, you may call me Sting." She paused for a moment, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Master, if I may ask, what is your favorite color?"

    "Huh?" Sero paused for a moment. "I never really thought about it, but I guess it''d be blue. Why?"

    Sting tilted her head curiously. "No reason. I simply wish to learn more about my master." Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Sero felt a small smile growing on his face as he realized that Sting was indeed a sentient being capable of thinking for herself. Somehow, his penthouse didn''t seem so empty anymore.

    "How long can you stay summoned?" Sero asked her.

    Sting raised an eyebrow. "I am bound to you, Master. In terms that you can understand, as long as you have the mana for it, I can remain out here indefinitely."

    Sero closed his eyes for a moment, sensing out his mana reserves. After he came back to Earth, he recalled his mana reserves comparable to a bathtub. Now, it seemed like a sizable lake, but it was draining rapidly, funneling towards keeping Sting summoned.

    "Damn," Sero sighed as he opened his eyes. Even as he activated his mana efficiency, it was still draining him quicker than he could replenish his reserves. Raul had mentioned that Ascendants with Mage backgrounds could potentially draw mana from their surroundings, but it was a difficult ability to master. Perhaps Sero would fare better in increasing his reserves, since his mana efficiency was already at the peak of its caliber.

    "Well, it seems like I can¡¯t have you out forever," Sero grimaced. "But, I¡¯ll be calling you out very often from now on. Especially during my match tomorrow."

    "Understood, Master." Sting bowed her head. With a wave of his hand, Sero dismissed the Joker, leaving him feeling lonely once again.

    <hr>

    The next morning, Sero woke up feeling apprehensive about the day. Before he had gone to bed, Sero tried out the other suits, finding them pretty much identical to Anya¡¯s familiars. He was able to summon the full 12 face cards, and noticed they drained his mana significantly faster than if he had Sting out by herself.

    Glancing at his phone, he saw that Gregor had texted him that the extension would be announced before the start of the fourth round, so only the qualifiers and the semi-finals would take place today. Though he was relieved that he wouldn¡¯t have to fight 3 rounds back to back in the case that he did win the first two, he nonetheless felt worried about his performance. Especially since his father would go into surgery later today.

    Opting for comfort and ease of movement, Sero tossed on black track pants and a light athletic t-shirt as he walked out of his penthouse towards the elevator. As he rode it down, he ran through every skill he had acquired thus far.

    Aside from his Perfect Analysis, Copy, and Recall, he had copied the Mana Sword conjuring, Mana Enhancement, Water Blast, and Fire Blast from Amaya.

    From Nala: Mana Knives, Shadow Sneak, Detect, and Shadow Shift.

    Kanna: his staple Nuke and Railgun.

    Raul: the ever useful Mana and Energy Efficiency.

    The succubi outbreak: a Mage¡¯s Inspiration and Recovery, along with a Warrior¡¯s Iron Skin.

    Enzo: Fairness, Revenge, the Jury Axe, and Hellfire, though he couldn''t really use it.

    Sal: Mana Cannon, Starfall, Blast Zone, and Force Field.

    Anya: Spades, Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, and the Joker.

    And finally, from Casssandra and Max respectively: Glassmake and Form Shift.

    Despite his repertoire being impressively extensive, Sero still felt like it wasn¡¯t enough, mostly because of his undying obsession with copying more skills, but also because of the overwhelming show that Gregor revealed last night. It made Sero believe that it didn¡¯t matter how many skills he copied if they couldn¡¯t do anything to someone as powerful as the Conqueror.

    "Champion?"

    Sero blinked, not registering Aphiel¡¯s voice right away.

    "Oh, Aphiel. Where were you last night?"

    "My apologies, champion. I was discussing something urgent with the other gods." Aphiel paused. "I think it¡¯s time to let you in on what I know."

    "And that is?"

    The goddess sounded hesitant. "About today¡­ it appears that members of the organization you know as Culling seem to have established a connection with the evil gods."

    The elevator stopped with a ding, opening its doors. Sero stepped out, seeing Amaya waiting for him near the entrance. A swarm of people was gathered outside once again.

    "Evil gods? Are they different from regular gods?" Sero switched to his thoughts as he nodded to Amaya.

    "In a sense, yes. In terms of how you mortals understand morality, they are considered evil, but to us, they are simply those who have been banished."

    "Banished?" Sero and Amaya managed to slip through the crowd and into her car.

    "Those you call Sponsors are gods who are more or less on the side of humanity. We want to see you prosper, since our relationship can be described as symbiotic. Your faith, devotion, and memories are what gives us power and meaning. On the other hand, the banished gods have all but lost their true selves, reduced to nothing but corrupted and starved existences that only seek to consume and destroy."

    As Amaya began driving them to the stadium, Sero shivered from the thought.

    "So, you''re saying some of the Culling have come into contact with these banished gods?"

    "It''s more complicated than that. The banished gods are beyond mere physical contact. They can''t directly interact with the mortal world. Instead, they lurk in the shadows, whispering into the ears of those who are weak-willed, corrupting them and using them as puppets to do their bidding. In the case of Culling, they are the perfect vessel for their malevolent influence."

    "And those who were corrupted by the banished gods have been at the tournament?"

    "I''m... not sure." Aphiel admitted. "Regular gods are able to sense each other, but banished gods have a completely different presence that makes it hard to detect. Even the strongest among my kind wouldn''t know until they reveal themselves."

    "That''s a little worrying," Sero glanced at Amaya, who was focused on navigating through the traffic. "I should let the others know, huh?"

    "Actually, I''d rather you keep this quiet. The other champions will know of this through their own gods, so I would appreciate it if you would keep this to yourself."

    Sero considered this for a moment.

    "You weren''t supposed to tell me this right now, were you?"

    "...No. But, I figured you''d want to at least be prepared in case something does happen."

    "Fine," Sero sighed. "Thanks, Aphiel."

    "Good luck today, champion."

 Chapter 38: The Demonic Enforcer

    "I''ll be watching your match from the hospital. Me and Nala will stay with your father after he gets out from surgery." Amaya said as she stopped the car in front of the arena entrance.

    "Thanks," Sero stepped out and turned back to her. "I really appreciate it."

    "Don''t worry," The Spellblade gave a reassuring smile. "Everything will be ok. Good luck."

    Sero watched her drive out of sight before he turned and walked inside. Like the day before, he walked past the initial waiting area to the new one, heading up the stairs and pushing the gold patterned black doors.

    To his surprise, he found nearly everyone already there, save for Liam. Raul noticed him and grinned, waving him over towards the refreshments area where he and Kanna were seated.

    "Hey Sero!" The Rage Fist said cheerily as he joined the two. "Ready for the final day of the tournament?"

    "I thought tomorrow-" Sero caught himself, remembering that the announcement would be later today. "Uh, yeah, I guess."

    He avoided Kanna¡¯s suspicious look while Raul flashed him a thumbs up. As the three idly made conversation, the door swung open, Liam walking in. He took his place next to Elena in the center of the room once again.

    Startled, Sero realized that Liam didn¡¯t seem as intimidating to him anymore. There was a good chance that the encounter with 5 S-ranks last night as well as the overwhelming presence of Gregor probably had a big hand in that.

    Towards the afternoon, he scanned the other 3 contestants, trying to gauge their strengths. Two men and one woman. The first man was tall, with long red hair pulled back into a man bun and a chiseled jawline. He was muscular, and wore boxing shorts and a tank top. Steven Bryce, an A-rank Blast Fist, a hybrid advancement of the Brawler and Mage. There was a fiery aura about him, reminding Sero of Raul.

    The other man was tall as well, but more lean, with a quiet air about him. He had medium-length black hair that parted in the middle, his face clean and sharp. Wearing fitted slacks and a neatly tucked shirt with a dark red tie, he seemed timid. Zioth Lang, an A-rank Soul Strider, another hybrid advancement of the Warrior and Brawler.

    Finally, the woman, who Sero found attractive, had honey caramel skin, her long dark hair flowing down her back in waves. She wore a simple skirt and t-shirt, complete with a brown shawl. Eshe Cairo, an A-rank Hexmage, a pure-line advancement of the Mage. Sero could sense some dark energy surrounding her, befitting of a class such as hers.

    Sero shivered, not because of the unnerving energy around Eshe, nor from the explosive aura from Steven, but from Zioth, who seemed normal in comparison to the former two. Sero¡¯s Perfect Analysis saw a massive amount of mana within Zioth, rivaling even Elena or Liam. If Sero had a lake, then Zioth held the sea.

    "As much as I would love to fight Liam right now, I also want to go up against that Steven guy¡­" Raul murmured to his companions. "I just can¡¯t help but want to test myself against other Brawlers. I¡¯d also be fine with fighting you, Sero."

    "Then I hope I get Zioth," Kanna grimaced. "Eshe¡¯s curses are particularly annoying and unpleasant to deal with."

    Sero hoped that he¡¯d end up facing Eshe if that was the case. His Rationality was well-suited to mental effects and he could always use Recovery to stop any status damage.

    "Attention, Ascendants." The man with the scar announced. "The third day of the tournament will begin shortly. Please make any necessary preparations and be ready."

    Sero took a deep breath, feeling his nerves settle and his mind clear. His father would be going into surgery soon. He had to trust that Tiero would pull through, much like how his father believed that Sero would be able to achieve victory today. His phone buzzed with a photo from Nala showing her, Amaya, and his father in a surgery gown holding a thumbs up. A small smile formed on Sero¡¯s face before he slipped his phone away.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the third day of the tournament!" The announcer boomed from the speakers, riling up the crowd. "We are now down to the qualifiers, with 8 Ascendants remaining! This is sure to be an incredible and action-packed event!"

    "Good luck guys," Raul grinned at Kanna and Sero.

    Sero grunted his thanks as a few of the officials took their positions, ready to start the tournament. He glanced over at Elena and Liam, who were relaxed as ever. Especially the latter, who seemed to be napping.

    "The first match will be between Eshe Cairo and Liam. Please step forward." The scar man announced, much to the surprise and relief of most of the contestants.

    Since Liam¡¯s last two opponents immediately forfeited, Sero expected Eshe to do so as well. He was proven wrong when he saw onscreen Eshe standing confidently in front of Liam in the center of the arena.

    "Does she have some sort of plan or ability that can stand up to him?" Sero muttered to himself. He hadn¡¯t seen what Liam was capable of, so the endless possibilities were too tantalizing to ignore.

    "Here we go! The first match, Eshe Cairo the Hexmage versus the ever-intimidating Liam the Demonic Enforcer!"

    As the announcer began to countdown over the roaring crowd, Liam continued to stand there, his hands in his hoodie pockets lazily staring down Eshe. To her credit, the Hexmage seemed unshaken, as if determined to prove herself. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    "5... 4... 3... 2... 1!"

    Eshe immediately casted several bronze colored runes around her, each concentrated with a dense amount of mana. She quickly finished conjuring enough runes, throwing a couple of them at Liam. Sero thought that he would move or dodge, but the Demonic Paragon''s red eyes glowed with mana.

    Eshe''s runes hit Liam and dissolved, as if they were bubbles. If it wasn''t for the ruffling of Liam''s white hair from the impact, Sero would''ve thought that the Hexmage''s attack did absolutely nothing.

    "Damn," Sero breathed out. Even from his location in the waiting room, he could sense just how dense each of those runes were, so for Liam to tank a couple of them showed just how strong the S-rank was. No wonder his last two opponents forfeited.

    Eshe continued to send rune after rune towards Liam, simultaneously drawing a gigantic circular rune underneath him. Sero wasn''t sure, but it seemed like Liam was getting annoyed.

    "She needs to forfeit, or stop attacking him like that." Raul suddenly looked worried.

    "What? Why?" Sero asked, glancing at Kanna, surprised to see that she also had an anxious expression.

    "I don''t think Eshe knows what Liam''s capable of," Raul never took his eyes off the screen. "Do you, Sero?"

    "No? He''s just really strong, isn''t he? Like his brother?"

    As Eshe continued to bombard Liam with the runes, the circular magic underneath him was almost completed. Raul swallowed nervously.

    "Liam''s nickname is the Raging Demon. He has a plethora of skills, but there are two that stand out."

    Sero realized that many of the officials were also paying attention to the screen with varying levels of worry etched on their faces.

    "The first is ''Pacify'', a skill I''m pretty sure Liam''s using right now. It can greatly reduce or even negate damage he receives as long as he doesn''t retaliate or harbor harmful intent."

    "Wait, that''s such a broken skill-"

    "But its greatest strength lies in its ability to store that reduced or nullified damage," Raul continued. "And Liam''s second skill ''Provoke'' is what makes him so terrifying."

    "What does it do?"

    Onscreen, Eshe completed the giant rune underneath Liam, a triumphant look on her face as she sent the remaining waves of her smaller runes pouring down onto the Demonic Enforcer. Liam was clearly annoyed, but allowed the runes to hit him as the crowd roared their approval. Once again, the magic did nothing to him, but the rune underneath him began to glow with a bright amber shine.

    "It... it converts all the stored damage into power, causing Liam''s strength to skyrocket depending on the damage he''s accumulated..." Raul''s face paled as he watched the rune underneath Liam explode violently, shaking the entire stadium. "And like his Pacify, its downside is that-"

    An unearthly howl resonated across the arena, drowning out even the screams of the audience. As the bronze smoke cleared, Liam stood there, unharmed and his hands out of his pockets. A dark red aura crackled around him, his white hair moving from the waves. His red eyes were glowing, but they had a frenzied look to them. Sero was suddenly aware that he was shivering even though the room he was in wasn''t cold.

    "He loses all reasoning..." Raul whispered at the sight of Liam''s appearance. "And the more he''s damaged while under Provoke, the stronger he gets."

    That sounded like Enzo''s Revenge skill personified. There was no doubt in Sero''s mind that they were brothers indeed.

    Eshe''s confidence shattered as she stared at the enraged Liam. She quickly conjured several more bronze runes in front of her, but it didn''t matter.

    Faster than even Sero could track, Liam zipped forward, plowing through the runes Eshe had conjured and grabbed her by the face. Red mana condensed around his hand, and before the officials could blow the whistle, Liam picked Eshe up, pulled her back, and threw her forward while detonating the mana in his hand in her face.

    The Hexmage was enveloped in a crackling red aura as she flew through the air, slamming into the arena wall with a reverberating boom, followed by another explosion as the red aura around her went off. Cheers turned into gasps and cries of shock at the brutal display. Even as the smoke cleared, there was still red mana that sparked around Eshe, who appeared heavily bloodied and wounded.

    As the several medics rushed over to Eshe''s side, Liam seemed to struggle with himself. He looked straight up into the air, holding a palm up to the sky, and fired off his mana. It was a terrifying display of power as Sero watched the Demonic Enforcer seemingly waste his mana, but from what Raul explained, he guessed that Liam was getting rid of the excess power.

    After a while, it seemed that Liam finished expunging as his aura disappeared. He walked off the arena, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets.

    "The... the winner is Liam..." The announcer declared a little fearfully. Instead of cheers, the audience murmured among themselves as the medics safely transported Eshe off the arena as well.

    "He didn¡¯t have to go that far," Raul¡¯s brows furrowed with anger as he clenched his fists. "He could¡¯ve just knocked her out instead of using Provoke. What was he thinking?"

    "Liam never cared about manners, Raul. He only cares about power." Kanna said quietly, trying to calm the Rage Fist down.

    Sero himself couldn¡¯t figure out how he felt after seeing Liam¡¯s match. The Demonic Enforcer was a monster, radiating enormous amounts of energy that reached all the way to the waiting area. The scariest part was that Enzo was supposedly stronger than his younger brother. Sero shivered again, wondering if the Demonic Judge had been lying when he said he was using less than half his strength during training.

    Liam soon returned to the waiting area, looking as bored as before his match. As he entered, the room went quiet, silently watching as the Demonic Enforcer made his way over to Elena.

    "Hey. You went too far."

    Sero realized that Raul had left his seat, confronting Liam face-to-face. Kanna gasped, but didn¡¯t move to stop him. Liam stopped mid-step, turning his head lazily to address Raul with a raised eyebrow.

    "She didn¡¯t know her place and tried to challenge me. I should return the favor and teach her why she should¡¯ve forfeited, right?" Liam responded evenly, his voice cold and low.

    "You think that everyone here is beneath you?" Raul became heated, clenching his fists.

    "Yeah?" Liam stated, as if it were a fact. "Honestly, the only one who could give me a run for my money is Elena, and even then, I¡¯m sure I¡¯d still win." He drew closer to Raul.

    "You¡¯ve recently been promoted to S-rank, while I¡¯ve been at the top for a while. The difference between us can¡¯t even be measured." There was no hint of malice or arrogance in Liam¡¯s eyes. He truly believed without a shadow of a doubt that he was the strongest in the room.

    Raul opened his mouth, but no words came out. Liam smiled humorlessly, walking past the Rage Fist, but then paused. The Demonic Enforcer turned towards Sero, narrowing his eyes.

    "I heard my brother¡¯s been training you." He said, more of a statement than a question.

    Sero could only nod.

    Liam snorted. "Drop out next round. If you somehow make it to the finals and fight me, I¡¯ll make sure you suffer worse than that woman."

 Chapter 39: Dragons & Fist Fights

    "Elena Hale, Kanna Yu, you guys are up next." The man with the scar announced after confirming the next match.

    "Good luck," Sero nodded to the Deadshot, sensing that now wasn''t the best time to be flirtatious. Raul was still on edge, glaring at the back of Liam''s head.

    "Thanks," Kanna smiled weakly. "Hopefully she''s not as... brutal as Liam."

    She stood up, adjusting her black kevlar suit and her bun as she followed the Scaletamer to the arena entrance doors. Though he felt a little bad for Kanna, he was secretly relieved to know that his potential opponents would be either Zioth, Steven, or Raul, though the Rage Fist seemed way too riled up for Sero to handle.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen, the second match is about to begin! Kanna Yu, the Deadshot versus Elena Hale, the Scaletamer!" The announcer seemed to have recovered his enthusiasm as he addressed the audience. "Guns against beasts, who will win today?"

    The crowd cheered as they focused on the two beautiful women stepping onto the arena, both dazzling in their outfits.

    The tension in the stadium was no longer uncomfortable as the announcer started his countdown. Kanna warily eyed her opponent, who stood idly.

    "5... 4... 3... 2... 1!"

    Summoning her dual pistols, Kanna quickly launched a volley of mana railguns at Elena. The Scaletamer reacted quickly, opening an enormous jade portal in front of her. With a roar, her giant reptile familiar launched forward, blocking Kanna''s shots.

    As the battle ensued, the two fighters showed why they were at the top of their game. Elena''s familiar''s armored hide was proving to be a formidable obstacle for Kanna''s gunfire. In response, the Deadshot used her agility to dodge and weave, trying to find an opening in Elena''s defenses.

    Whether by chance or skill, Kanna managed to tag Elena with a light red target on her chest. Firing a ball of red mana, the sphere seemed to have a mind of its own as it weaved around the Scaletamer''s familiar.

    Just before Kanna''s attack connected, Elena smiled, snapping her fingers and opening two more portals. This time, a pair of dark green serpent-like reptiles slithered out, spitting out a hazy smoke that melted the red sphere. The snakes were long and thick like the trunk of an oak tree, slithering protectively around Elena.

    Kanna leaped back to gain distance as the alligator snapped at her, missing her by inches. Sero could tell it was beginning to look bad for the Deadshot. The way Elena was surrounded by her familiars reminded Sero of his match against Anya.

    Still determined, Kanna casted her signature Nuke, bombarding the alligator with explosive red light as she dove past it, firing railguns that hit the serpents with deadly accuracy.

    As the alligator roared in pain and the serpents were quickly dispatched, it appeared as though Elena was vulnerable. Kanna rushed forward, prepping another nuke as she drew closer.

    "Oh shit, Kanna might get a clean shot!" Sero said excitedly.

    "No," Raul sat back and folded his arms with a grimace. "Elena''s in no danger."

    Sero''s confusion was answered when he watched Kanna fire a close-ranged nuke at Elena, whose body glowed with a dark green aura. The Scaletamer batted away the beam, causing it to hit the arena wall with a boom.

    "What the- I thought she advanced from the Summoner class?"

    "She did," Raul looked at Sero with a side eye. "But one of her skills is ''Simulate'', which allows her to borrow the strength of one of her familiars."

    "The alligator?"

    The Rage Fist shook his head. "Worse."

    Elena met Kanna head on, knocking her back with a kick to the gut. Kanna hit the ground but recovered with a flip, her guns poised to fire again. Elena snapped her fingers, recalling her oversized reptile as another portal opened behind her.

    Instinctively, Sero knew that this one was different. It was double, maybe triple the size of the portal that called forth her alligator. With a deafening roar, a massive shape flew out, crashing down onto the arena.

    Recognizing the creature from fairy tales he had read as a child, Sero couldn''t believe what he was seeing at first.

    "That''s a fucking dragon."

    Kanna''s eyes widened as the massive emerald draconic creature emerged from the portal. It was larger, laughably more than the alligator familiar, with wings that spanned the length of the arena and a long, serpentine body covered in armored scales. It let out a deafening roar that shook the stadium, causing the very ground to tremble beneath them.

    "Elena''s ace in the hole. She can summon it and borrow its power at the same time." Raul let out a small sigh. "One of the main reasons she''s an S-rank. She was almost able to single-handedly overwhelm an A-rank monster outbreak with her familiars." Stolen story; please report.

    Kanna trembled under the gaze of the gargantuan beast. Sero couldn''t blame her, since it was so large that he was able to see it clearly from the windows.

    For a second, Sero thought that Kanna would swallow her fear and continue the match, but the Deadshot simply raised her hand in surrender.

    The referee called the match, causing the audience to erupt in cheers and boos. Raul let out a sigh of relief as Elena stepped back, the dragon disappearing with a final roar. Kanna, still on the ground, looked up at the Scaletamer with a mixture of awe and fear. "Good fight," she said, her voice shaky.

    Elena gave her a small smile before she walked away.

    "Kanna Yu has surrendered! The winner is Elena Hale!" The announcer declared, fueling the crowd''s excitement.

    <hr>

    After Elena returned to the waiting area, Sero felt apprehensive about the next match. Seeing the strength of the S-ranks was terrifying, and it made him reluctant to face either of them in the semi-finals. He contemplated doing what Liam suggested and forfeiting.

    He quickly forced the thought out of his mind, remembering that his father was going through a battle of his own. Sero had promised him that he''d see this through to the end after all, and he was determined to make good on something for once.

    "The next match will begin. Raul Delgato..." The man with the scar began. Sero bounced his leg nervously.

    "...and Steven Bryce. Please enter the arena."

    Sero let out a sigh of relief as Raul stood up and stretched.

    "Good luck." Sero said to the Rage Fist. Raul nodded back, his expression serious. Liam''s encounter seemed to really affect Raul as he followed his opponent to the arena.

    Onscreen, Raul and Steven faced off against each other. The cheering quieted down as the announcer cleared his throat.

    "For the third match, we have Raul Delgato, the Rage Fist versus Steven Bryce, the Blast Fist! Which of these Brawlers will emerge victorious? Who knows, but you can bet that this will be a slugfest you won''t want to miss!"

    As he began the countdown, both men crouched, their fists clenched and their auras bubbling. Sero wondered what kind of style a Blast Fist would have.

    "5... 4... 3... 2... 1!"

    Immediately, both men threw a punch, hitting the other''s fist in a clash of might. Raul''s fist glowed orange with power as Steven''s fist emitted a purple aura. To Sero, they looked evenly matched.

    Steven grinned as he pulled his fist back, quickly throwing a side kick. Raul blocked the attack with a palm, catching the Blast Fist''s shin in his grip. In the next moment, Sero found the answer to his question as a purple light bloomed from the point of contact, causing an explosion that threw Raul back.

    Even without his analysis, Sero determined that every attack Steven threw out had an explosive property to it, making close-combat a dangerous game to play. However, Raul seemed unfazed, surrounding himself with an orange aura that Sero realized was ''Focused Rage'', a skill that enabled Raul to utilize his rage to empower himself.

    Sero clicked his tongue, disappointed that Raul only used the skill during his matches. He would''ve loved to have copied the skill when he first met the Rage Fist. Maybe Raul would let him copy it later, after the tournament.

    The two men clashed again, throwing punches and kicks with dizzying speed. Now that Raul had casted Focused Rage, he was able to deal with Steven''s explosive hits better, though it was still damaging to receive.

    To the audience, it was a refreshing match, seeing a fight filled with pure physical attacks with a bit of magic thrown in. Sero, watching on the screens, was impressed with how Raul was able to use his rage to empower himself, while Steven was able to utilize the explosive properties to maximum effect.

    The two continued to match each other blow for blow, neither man giving an inch. Their battle took them across the arena, the force of their attacks leaving craters in the ground. The crowd cheered on, their shouts of encouragement only spurring the two fighters on. Even Sero found himself caught up in the intensity of the match.

    After breaking from a clash, Raul and Steven stared at each other, both smiling with respect and excitement. Sero wondered if every Brawler class was a battle fanatic.

    "Thank god I wasn''t one." He muttered to himself, watching the two go at it again. Compared to the last two matches, the fight between the Rage Fist and Blast Fist was much more action-packed, dragging on with neither man giving any leeway.

    However, it became clear that Raul was slowly getting the edge over Steven. His Focused Rage was growing stronger with every exchange of blows, while Steven''s attacks seemed to be losing some of their punch. The crowd began to sense this shift in momentum as they urged Raul on with louder cheers. The Rage Fist responded by delivering a series of powerful punches and kicks, driving Steven back across the arena.

    Finally, Raul demonstrated why he had been promoted to S-rank as he closed the gap between them, landing a devastating uppercut that sent Steven flying into the air. As the Blast Fist crashed back down to the ground, Raul was already on him, delivering a flurry of powerful punches and kicks. The crowd roared their approval, urging the Rage Fist on as he continued his onslaught.

    Raul ceased his assault, jumping back as he crouched in preparation. But Steven was unable to get back up, managing to weakly raise his hand up in surrender.

    As the referee called the match, the audience cheered once more. Raul dispersed his Focused Rage, walking over to Steven and offering him a hand.

    "Good fight," Raul said, his voice slightly hoarse from exertion. Steven grinned, shaking his hand.

    Despite the heartfelt conclusion, Sero felt a wave of nervousness as he prepared for his match against Zioth. He glanced over at the Soul Strider, wondering if he was just as nervous as Sero was. Zioth appeared calm and collected, staring up at the screen. There was no hint of worry or anxiety in his body, which didn''t make Sero feel too good.

    He took a deep breath, feeling his Rationality activate. There was no point in stressing now. Sero was going to do his best, for the sake of his father and for his pride. He checked his phone, seeing another photo from Nala. This time, it was a selfie of her, Amaya, and Casey between the two. All three were smiling, holding a thumbs up. Sero chuckled softly, slipping his phone away and feeling grateful for his friends.

    As Raul came back to the waiting area, the man with the scar cleared his throat.

    "Final match of the qualifiers. Sero Kassel, Zioth Lang, please enter."

    "Good luck," Raul said, giving Sero an encouraging smile.

    "Thanks." Sero followed Zioth to the doors, feeling as though he''d need more than luck this time.

 Chapter 40: Third Midterm Fights - Part 1

    Entering his door, Sero found Kit waiting there as usual. He was faintly surprised that she seemed bubbly and full of energy considering how much she drank the night prior. Her Cat Paradox probably had a hand in that.

    "Hi there!" Kit grinned as her mismatched eyes sparkled with mischief. "Missed me?"

    "Yeah," Sero admitted, though it was more because she was a familiar face.

    The Paradox giggled as she looped her arm around Sero¡¯s and began walking.

    "Excited for your match?" She asked as they traveled down the corridor.

    "I guess?" Sero replied hesitantly. "I¡¯m not sure if excited is the right word for how I¡¯m feeling."

    "Oh? Nervous?"

    "Something like that, yeah."

    Kit hummed to herself thoughtfully, glancing up at Sero¡¯s face. "Worried about your dad?"

    "Yeah," he nodded. "But the others are waiting for him after his surgery, so at least he won¡¯t be alone when he comes out. If he¨C" Sero stopped himself.

    Kit gave him a reassuring smile as she squeezed his arm. "Don¡¯t worry, my little bookworm. I know your father will pull through. Just focus on the match, ok? Your opponent is a strong one."

    Sero blinked at the Paradox, relieved at the change in topic. "What can you tell me about him?"

    "Hmm¡­ he¡¯s a Brawler and Warrior hybrid but surprisingly uses a sword. Don¡¯t let down your guard though, he¡¯s perfectly capable of close-combat, too."

    "Anything else?" Sero asked even though he knew that was the extent that Kit was willing to say.

    Kit stuck her tongue out playfully, confirming his thoughts as he sighed. Well, he¡¯d be able to manage. Hopefully.

    "Just try your best, ok?" Kit smiled as they reached the arena entrance. "Remember, if you win, I¡¯ll show you the Cat Paradox!"

    Sero choked on his spit as Kit¡¯s words registered to him. He had almost forgotten her promise, but now it was a very nice incentive to win his match. Sero imagined the possibilities of the skill as he turned back to Kit to thank her.

    "Ah, this time it was my fault¡­" Sero muttered, seeing no trace of the Paradox. He turned back to the doors, pushing them open to the arena.

    Compared to the first day when he arrived, Sero no longer felt an overwhelming anxiety as he stepped onto the arena to the roaring of the crowd. Up ahead, Zioth was making his way to the center.

    As Sero met him in the middle, a referee jogged up to the pair. She ratted off the ground rules, but Sero wasn¡¯t paying attention, focusing on Zioth instead.

    He was taller than Sero by a good two or three inches, his steady pale pink eyes gazing back at him. Zioth had taken off his tie, unbuttoning his collar. As he stood there, Sero sensed a deep and heavy pressure within the Soul Strider.

    "Got it?" The referee asked the two when she finished. Both of them nodded. As she jogged away, Zioth suddenly bowed his head.

    "Sero Kassel," he began, his voice smooth and soft. "I¡¯ve seen your strength. I don¡¯t wish to look down on you, so I will fight with full power."

    "O-oh¡­ thanks?" Sero stammered back. It was definitely a nice change of pace, having his opponent not be arrogant, but it somehow made the match that more pressuring.

    Zioth lifted his head, a determined and challenging look in his eyes. "I believe that it is a form of respect to fight you using everything I have, so please, I would be honored if you would do the same."

    "Um, yeah¡­ I was planning on doing that anyway¡­" Sero replied, put off by how formal Zioth was speaking to him.

    The Soul Strider nodded his thanks, stepping away to prepare. Sero did the same, calming himself for the fight ahead.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen!" The announcer started. "It is the final match of the qualifiers! Arguably one of the most anticipated today! Sero Kassel, the Scholar versus Zioth Lang, the Soul Strider!"

    The crowd cheered, adding to the electrifying tension in the air. Sero rolled his shoulders, warming up his body.

    "Good luck, champion."

    "Thanks, Aphiel."

    "5... 4... 3... 2... 1!"

    Before Sero could even run through his standard rotation, Zioth roared, emitting a crackling dark pink aura.

    "Holy shit!" Sero¡¯s body buzzed as he copied the skill ¡®Burning Spirit¡¯, which massively boosted the caster¡¯s stats. His analysis further determined that it used copious amounts of mana to maintain, but Zioth¡¯s consumption was almost nonexistent.

    The Soul Strider held out a hand, pink mana swirling in his palm. A shimmering and formless blade of pink mana formed in his grip; the ¡®Soul Blade¡¯ was a skill that depended on how great the user¡¯s soul was. As Zioth held the formless blade, it grew larger in size, reaching the point where it was as big as Zioth himself. Sero swore under his breath as his analysis determined that the blade was weightless to the user, but deadly to anyone else.

    In the blink of an eye, Zioth dashed forward.

    Sero immediately ran through his staples, activating his efficiencies, Inspiration, Iron Skin, and Mana Enhancement as he conjured his mana sword, covering the blade with green mana. In hindsight, the Soul Blade was much stronger than his Mana Blade, but it required a steady supply of mana to maintain it. And there was a different skill that Sero wanted to supply instead.

    Sero barely managed to raise his sword to block Zioth¡¯s swing as the impact sent shockwaves through his body. It was heavy, much heavier than Sal¡¯s cannons.

    He knocked Zioth away, throwing a couple of mana knives that exploded, creating a smokescreen. He figured that would buy him enough time to gather himself, but the Soul Strider charged again, seemingly able to see Sero through the smoke. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    "Really!" Sero exclaimed as he blocked another swing, instantly turning to shadows before the impact could run through his body. His darkness flew away from Zioth, quickly creating distance as Sero rematerialized.

    However, Zioth followed closely behind, giving Sero no time to breathe. Sero sent out a couple of mana nukes to deter him, but Zioth simply cut them away with his Soul Blade, catching up to him.

    The Soul Strider swung his blade once more, causing Sero to stomp his foot and activate his Force Field. Using the skill as a parry, Sero quickly dispersed the bubble as soon as Zioth¡¯s blade bounced off, conjuring the Jury axe in lieu of his sword. As the heavy blade crashed forward, Zioth hopped to the side, lunging forward once more.

    "You¡¯re kidding me!" Sero thought to himself as he let go of the Jury before it could even fall to the ground. The axe dispersed as Sero conjured a dark jade mana cannon, using the weight to drop below Zioth¡¯s jab. As the cannon hit the ground, Sero casted Blast Zone, immediately firing several mana nukes up into the air.

    Sero blocked Zioth''s blade with his cannon, but the Soul Strider cleaved straight through the bulky weapon. He followed up with a mana blast point-blank, to which Sero barely managed to evade by changing into shadows.

    The Starfall Nuke crashed down, aimed directly at Zioth. With inhuman speed, Zioth slashed through each and every nuke that fell upon him, easily tearing through the barrage. Sero used this moment to gain some distance and solidified back.

    "Goddamn..." Sero panted, prepping his sword and deciding to conjure a green playing card. "I got no choice..."

    As Zioth cleared the nukes, he located and locked onto Sero''s position, zipping towards him once more. However, Sero had already tossed the card, watching as it exploded with a green light and condensing into Sting.

    "Master," Sting greeted Sero, but quickly took note of the charging Soul Strider. "The target?"

    "Yep!" Sero shouted, dashing forward to meet Zioth. "You said you wanted to know me better, right? Here''s a team building exercise!"

    As the Joker summoned her rapier and joined Sero, Zioth seemed undeterred as he swung his blade back to meet them.

    The two began a whirlwind of attacks and parries, their weapons dancing through the air in a blur. The crowd was transfixed, unable to believe the speed and skill on display. Sero and Sting moved in perfect unison, their teamwork and understanding of each other''s fighting styles making them an unstoppable force. Of course, it helped that Sero''s Perfect Analysis and his instincts made it a lot easier to adapt to Sting''s jabbing style.

    But Zioth was just as incredible, able to hold his own against the two as he parried or dodged most of their strikes. To Sero, it was as if he was growing even stronger and faster.

    With a quick slash, Zioth knocked Sting away, quickly zoning in on Sero. A stomp of his foot caused his green Force Field to spring up, blocking the Soul Strider''s blade. In a split second, Sero used his Perfect Analysis, learning that Zioth was still growing stronger by the second, beginning to drain his mana reserves, albeit slowly.

    As he swung his sword down on Sero''s Force Field, the latter simultaneously dismissed the skill and leaped back, causing Zioth to stumble forward from the momentum. Sero quickly followed up with a moderate mana nuke that exploded into the Soul Strider''s chest, sending him flying backwards.

    Sting had already recovered and met Zioth from behind as he rocketed towards her, the Joker''s rapier poised to strike. As Zioth spun mid-air to block her attacks, Sero launched himself forward, trying to catch him in a pincer maneuver. There should have been no way for Zioth to be able to react to an attack on both sides, but Sero noticed the Soul Strider catching wind of his approach.

    With another roar, Zioth emitted another burst of pink mana, causing Sero to halt his advance. Sting was blown away from the shockwave, though she was able to land gracefully, leaping forward as soon as she landed. Sero''s body buzzed as he copied Zioth''s ''Resonating Spirit'', which added a reverberating mana impact to Zioth''s attacks.

    Sero had no time to think as Zioth engaged in combat with Sting, quickly overpowering her with sword strikes that produced a mana shockwave regardless if it hit. Running to join his Joker, Sero launched a volley of alternating mana nukes and railguns, trying to ease the pressure off of Sting.

    As if he had predicted it, Zioth delivered a hard kick into Sting''s abdomen, knocking her away as he roared once more, a darker pink emerging forth. Once again, Sero''s body buzzed with power as he copied ''Echoing Spirit'', which, as he found out in the next moment, could reflect an attack back to the origin. The nukes and railguns collided with Zioth''s now enormous aura and bounced back straight to Sero.

    Activating his Force Field a little too late, Sero took a couple of his own nukes and railguns, grunting in pain from the impacts. Zioth flew in front of him, already swinging his gigantic dark pink Soul Blade down. The formless mana sword cleaved through the Force Field as if it were butter, followed by a rippling magic shockwave that blew Sero off his feet. The Soul Strider wasn''t done, chaining a right hook straight into Sero''s stomach that later detonated with another magic explosion.

    Sero crashed into the wall of the other side of the arena, bouncing off and hitting the ground hard. He could only wheeze in pain as the breath was knocked out of him, inhaling a copious amount of dirt right after. He felt Sting''s summon expire, returning back to him.

    Struggling to his feet, Sero saw Zioth jogging towards him, as if allowing him time to recover. It may have been an act of respect, but to Sero, it felt demeaning as if Zioth pitied him. A quick glimpse using his Perfect Analysis showed that Zioth had all three auras stacked, pushing his strength beyond what Sero could handle.

    He swore under his breath, realizing that he had no other options. Raising his palm towards Zioth, Sero casted Fairness, quickly feeling their strength even out. The Soul Strider seemed to notice what had happened, increasing his pace as he broke into a full-blown sprint.

    Sero checked his mana reserves, finding it almost half-empty. That was plenty enough. His sword appeared in his hands as he called out Sting once more, ignoring the pain in his body as he launched forward to clash against Zioth.

    The two met in the middle, green and dark pink mana zapping around the arena in a dance of blades. Even with Sting''s assistance and the strength balance, Sero couldn''t help but feel like it still wasn''t enough to overpower the Soul Strider.

    "This guy... is an absolute monster..." Sero thought to himself as he parried another one of Zioth''s strikes. Was he really an A-rank? His mana was draining just as quickly as Sero''s, but he had the advantage of having a massive pool.

    A risky idea came to Sero. Hoping that Sting would be able to read him, Sero managed to lock Zioth''s blade, holding them both in place. As he struggled to push against the Soul Strider, he gazed into his pale pink eyes, seeing a hint of admiration and determination staring back.

    "You''re very strong." Zioth said, gradually pushing Sero back.

    "So are you," Sero grinned back, suddenly shifting into shadows. Zioth''s eyes widened in shock as he stumbled forward, the lack of resistance causing him to lose his balance. Sero immediately solidified, using both hands to grab onto Zioth''s arm that held his sword tightly. He winced, enduring the searing hot pain that Zioth''s auras inflicted on him.

    Zioth struggled to break free, but was forced to his knees as Sting snuck up behind him, delivering a powerful blow to his legs. That was the moment Sero needed as he freed one hand to conjure a mana cannon, bringing it down onto Zioth''s head.

    Doubling his Inspiration paired with his fading Fairness, Sero casted Revenge as his cannon crashed down onto Zioth. The Soul Strider slammed face-down, becoming enveloped in a red aura. Sero leapt back to avoid the explosion a little too late as it went off.

    "Oof!" His flight through the air was abruptly halted as Sting caught him from behind. Sero couldn''t help but notice how gentle and safe her embrace was, despite the tension of the match.

    "Master, are you all right?" Sting asked as she released Sero from her grasp.

    "Yeah... fantastic..." Sero groaned as his Fairness wore off. He casted Recovery, watching as the Revenge''s explosion settled.

    Incredulously, Zioth shakily got to his feet, his auras all but vanished. He lifted his head, meeting Sero''s gaze. A shiver ran through the Scholar''s body as he realized that Zioth wasn''t ready to give up yet.

    With a final, thundering roar, Zioth unleashed an incredibly dense amount of mana from his body, surrounding himself in a dark pink, almost red aura. The arena became bathed in the light, massive waves of deep pink pulsing out from Zioth. Even before Sero copied the skill, he knew that this was Zioth''s strongest skill.

    ''Undying Spirit'', a skill that pushes the user''s stats to the absolute limits, burning through whatever remaining mana was left. It had all the capabilities of Zioth''s former auras with the bonus of stealing strength and mana with every successful hit.

    As Zioth conjured his Soul Blade once more, Sero felt an overwhelming sense of despair and fear.

    There was no way he could win.

 Chapter 41: Third Midterm Fights - Part 2

    Paralyzed by the scene, Sero almost failed to register Zioth finishing his cast time, swinging his gigantic Soul Blade around.

    Then, the Soul Strider stepped forward and vanished.

    "Master!"

    Sting quickly moved forward in front of Sero, her rapier drawn. Seeing his Joker poised in an offensive position snapped Sero out of his stupor.

    "Wait, no!" Sero tried to call Sting back, but before he could even get the words out, Zioth blinked in front of the Joker, his sword already swung downwards. Sting could only gasp as her body was sliced into two, causing her to dissolve into green dust. Zioth turned to Sero, his sword primed to attack again.

    In the back of his mind, Sero wondered if there was any chance of winning. Maybe he should just give up, like Liam said. The others didn¡¯t need him to advance into the semi-finals, so he didn¡¯t need to try this hard anymore. Yeah, he was never someone who liked hard work, preferring to live the easy life. It was fine, Sero could lose right here and go see his father right after.

    At the thought of his father, Sero blinked in confusion. He had promised Tiero that he¡¯d see this through, so didn¡¯t that mean he should give it his best? Why did he always resort to giving up when things were getting hard?

    Sero let out a growl of frustration, injecting more mana and energy into his Recovery. He was already low on energy, his body beginning to protest. He could feel his mana reserves dipping below the halfway point, limiting his skill usage.

    Zioth, on the other hand, still had plenty of mana to spare even considering the speed at which his Undying Spirit was consuming. The Soul Strider bent his knee, preparing to push off. It was either now, or never.

    Pushing his efficiencies to their limits, Sero stopped his Recovery, Iron Skin, and Inspiration as he casted Fairness just as Zioth launched himself forward, forcefully balancing their strengths. The overwhelming power flooding through Sero threatened to implode, but he gritted his teeth, enduring the strain. He was able to see Zioth¡¯s movements a lot clearer now that they were on even ground, but Sero was struggling to handle the additional power. He felt his mana reserves sitting at a quarter full, but that should be more than enough.

    "Champion, don¡¯t tell me¨C!" Aphiel protested as she sensed what Sero was about to do.

    "If I don¡¯t, then I¡¯ll have no chance of winning," Sero thought back with a grimace as he used Undying Spirit for the first time.

    A dark green aura roared forth from within Sero, engulfing him in dense concentrations of mana. On top of the Fairness bonus, Sero nearly fainted from the massive boost of power coursing through his veins. His mana reserves were nearly empty from using just those two skills. It was a risky move, stacking buffs to increase his strength even though Sero knew his body wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it at his current state, but he wasn¡¯t relying on that to win this match.

    Zioth¡¯s eyes widened with surprise as he felt the incredible pressure emitting from Sero, but he didn¡¯t stop his charge, gripping his Soul Blade tighter as he started swinging. Compared to the beginning of the match, Sero found it laughably easy to track each slash as he avoided Zioth¡¯s attacks. He knew that the audience were seeing a blur of pink and green, but to him, Zioth seemed like he was fighting underwater as Sero nimbly evaded his sword.

    Though it was exhilarating to taunt the Soul Strider by dodging everything, Sero could feel his body begging to give up, his energy and mana reserves running on fumes. Ignoring the pain once more, Sero began to pummel Zioth with punches and kicks, sapping his mana and strength with each successful hit.

    "Champion, stop! You can¡¯t handle that much power! Your body will destroy itself!" Aphiel pleaded, sounding almost hysterical. Sero wanted to tell her that everything would hopefully work out, but his concentration was devoted to dealing with attacking Zioth and the subsequent stat stealing.

    Zioth himself was unable to defend against Sero¡¯s onslaught, slowly getting pushed back as his strength and mana was drained away, his Soul Blade dispersed. Finally, Sero felt the Fairness bonus wear off, yet his strength was still unproportionally high due to Undying Spirit¡¯s effect. Thankfully, his mana reserves were almost to full capacity again.

    Sero pulled back his fist to strike Zioth again, but then stopped as a wave of pure agony wreaked havoc on his body. He screamed, dropping to his knees as the consequence of breaking his limits took its toll.

    "Fuck!" Sero roared as the rebound attacked his body in swarms of sharp, searing stabs. Zioth teetered unsteadily on his feet, slowly regaining his bearings as he noticed Sero on his knees. The Soul Strider conjured his blade again, preparing to end the match with one swing. Sero¡¯s body refused to listen to him as he tried to ride out the rebound.

    "Not yet¡­" Sero growled and managed to make a mana knife in his hands, dropping it as soon as it was formed. With a snap, the knife detonated in between the two, launching Sero away from Zioth. In hindsight, it was a bold and idiotic thing to do, but at least it confused Zioth and gave Sero some ground between them.

    As he flew through the air, Sero conjured 13 playing cards in his hands, letting them go in the air. The cards exploded with a green light, summoning the 12 face card familiars and Sting herself. Sero hit the ground, timing his fall to cast Force Field and Recovery at the same time. He heard the sounds of combat and hoped Sting would be able to command the Jack and King face cards to buy him just enough time healing to be able to move.

    "God¡­ dammit." Sero groaned as he gazed up at the sky, sensing the four queens rushing to his aid. His Recovery worked in tandem with their magic to alleviate the pain in his body.

    "What... What was your plan?" Aphiel asked through his thoughts.

    "Honestly," Sero winced as he found himself able to sit up. Zioth had already cut through the Kings and Jacks, engaged in a fierce sword fight with Sting herself. "I''m just winging it as I go along, but it seems to be working so far."

    "And that is?"

    Sero inhaled sharply as he shakily stood up, feeling his injuries slowly fade away. Though his body was becoming stable, the issue remained that he was exhausted and his mana reserves were already dipping below the halfway point.

    "In the match against Anya, my Revenge was limited to reflecting damage that she dished out, not her familiars," Sero began. "But the interesting part was that she was able to fuse with her Joker."

    "I hope that''s not what you''re planning on doing, since I can tell your body can''t handle any more exertion." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    "Nah. I''m wondering if I can do the opposite."

    Zioth blasted Sting away with a mana shockwave, turning towards Sero, but the Joker was relentless, coming back to divert his attention.

    "How... exactly do you plan on doing that?"

    Sero nodded his thanks to the queen familiars, watching their green suit symbols glow in acknowledgement as they raced off to support Sting. Dropping his Force Field, Sero carefully stretched his body to feel the once searing pain now a dull ache. He left his Recovery running with minimal mana supply, focusing his attention on Sting''s battle with Zioth.

    "I noticed that the Joker is distinct from the face cards in that the faces possess a finite amount of mana within them. Sting, on the other hand, draws her mana from me. Thankfully, it doesn''t seem like Zioth''s Undying Spirit stealing bonus works on her, otherwise I''d be in big trouble."

    Sero took a deep breath, beginning to flood Sting with his mana. To his relief, Sting seemed to realize what he was doing as she pushed Zioth back with renewed strength.

    "Anya was a lot weaker than me when we fought, but she had more mana than I did. When she summoned her Joker, her strength was proportional to Anya''s pool." Sero dismissed the queens as he focused on dumping more mana into Sting. "That meant that the more mana was being pumped into her Joker, the stronger it would become. Anya''s downfall was that she merged with it, fulfilling the conditions for my Revenge."

    "Oh!" It sounded like Aphiel understood. "That''s why you decided to do something risky. To drain his resources for your familiar to use."

    "Yup. I just hope it works."

    "And if it doesn¡¯t?"

    Instead of replying, he desperately prayed that Sting would be able to overpower Zioth due to being weakened from Sero''s previous assault. The Joker¡¯s three-pronged bell hat had fallen off during the sword fight, rips now appearing in her attire. Despite suffering heavy damage prior, the Soul Strider wasn¡¯t letting up, fighting back with the ferocity of a cornered animal.

    Sero swallowed hard. He was just barely able to move, but if he was pushed to action, Sero worried his body would give out. Just the intense concentration itself needed to supply Sting with mana threatened to knock him out. At least now he knew why Summoners and similar classes stood in place while their familiars did the work.

    As the crowd cheered on Sting and Zioth, Sero¡¯s legs trembled, finally giving out as he dropped to one knee. His mana was running out quickly while Zioth still had plenty left over. At this rate, Sero wouldn¡¯t be able to keep Sting out for much longer, losing the war of attrition. He had to think of a way to beat Zioth in one fell swoop.

    "Master!" Sting¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in his head.

    "What the¨C Sting?" Sero started, but then figured it was common sense for a Summoner to be able to telepathically communicate with their familiars. "I mean¡­ yeah?"

    "This man isn¡¯t going to go down any time soon, and I believe that you are running low on mana as well?"

    "Yeah," Sero gritted his teeth. "I¡¯m outta ideas."

    "Might I suggest merging?"

    "If we do that, I don¡¯t know if my body will be able to handle it."

    "Master, this man seems to hold a high impression of you. If it were to come to it, I believe that he would not be opposed to a final decisive strike between the two of you."

    Sero was at a loss for words, watching as Sting and Zioth broke apart just to clash again in a spectacle of green and pink sparks.

    "You mean, he¡¯d be down for a showdown of our strongest attacks? That¡¯s so¡­ cliche."

    "This man seems to hold you in high regard. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to exploit that." Sting replied with a knowing tone.

    "Oh. Ohhh¡­" Sero got what she meant. He found it pleasing that the Joker seemed to take after him.

    Without another word, Sero recalled Sting to his side, immediately beginning to merge with her. Zioth had a fleeting look of surprise on his face when his opponent suddenly disappeared, but as he turned to Sero, he quickly understood the situation.

    "Champion, what are you doing?! Your body will be a wreck!" Aphiel cried out as she realized what Sero was doing.

    "Master, please do your best." Sting encouraged as she dissolved into green smoke around him.

    "Whoa, hold on, what the fuck? I¡¯ve got two voices in my head now." Sero muttered as he finished merging with Sting. Power flowed through his body, but it was a painful stimulation as every nerve in his body started burning. Zioth moved forward, readying his blade.

    Sero knew that this was his last chance, and conjured his own Soul Blade. With a hiss, a formless green spear of mana appeared in his hands, crackling with magic. He crouched, holding the blade as if preparing to draw it from a sheath.

    Zioth¡¯s eyes widened as he wordlessly understood Sero¡¯s action, smiling with acknowledgement and respect as he stopped a few paces in front of him. The Soul Strider assumed the same position, tensing his muscles.

    "Sero Kassel. You¡¯ve pushed me to my limits as I¡¯m sure I did yours. I am honored to have fought with you." Zioth said, channeling enormous amounts of dark pink mana as his Undying Spirit roared around him.

    "Ditto. You¡¯re actually a beast," Sero replied, forcing down a sense of guilt.

    The pair stared at each other, both preparing to make their final strikes. The crowd simmered down, watching the two intently.

    "A-amazing¡­ it seems that Sero and Zioth have come to a mutual understanding of having a final showdown!" The announcer said with a hushed awe.

    Sero inhaled deeply, feeling his mana reserves nearly empty. His entire body was on fire, his veins like molten lava. Sting¡¯s power flowing through him squeezed his muscles, causing them to cramp. The Soul Blade he held sparked with mana, struggling to be unleashed.

    Zioth¡¯s eyes narrowed, his pressure increasing rapidly. Sero could tell he was putting everything into this single slash.

    Slowly, Sero drew some of the Soul Blade¡¯s mana into the hand that held it, gathering the rest from his inner reserves. Thankfully, Zioth didn¡¯t notice.

    For a moment, the two were still, readying themselves for the climax. The crowd had gone silent, watching with bated breath.

    Sero twitched, causing Zioth to blink forward with blinding speed. Everything happened in a matter of seconds.

    Both of them drew their Soul Blades, trying to cut each other in one strike. However, it seemed like Zioth was faster, swinging his sword much faster than Sero could. But, that wasn¡¯t the goal of Sero¡¯s plan. In fact, he was counting on Zioth to move quicker than he did as Sero converted the rest of the Soul Blade into mana, holding his palm out towards Zioth. Too late, the Soul Strider¡¯s eyes widened with surprise as his blade connected with Sero¡¯s chest.

    Sero felt Zioth¡¯s sword cut into his body, leaving a gashing wound that he didn¡¯t feel right away. He casted Revenge on top of the mana nuke immediately after Zioth¡¯s attack connected, hitting the Soul Strider directly.

    The nuke exploded, sending the two flying in opposite directions. The Revenge enveloped around Zioth emitted another explosion, showering the audience with emerald dust. Sero and Zioth slammed into the walls of the arena, with the latter causing the entire space to shudder from his impact.

    When Sero hit the wall, his mind went blank, the noise around him not registering as he fell to the ground and immediately lost consciousness.

 Chapter 42: A Glimmer of Hope

    Sero opened his eyes, gazing directly into Kit¡¯s mismatched eyes.

    "How¡¯s my little bookworm?"

    With a painful grunt, Sero blinked as he took in the now familiar and cozy white room of the arena infirmary. It was a lot quieter compared to the first time he was admitted here.

    Kit was dressed in her usual attire instead of the tournament uniform, with dark blue jeans, a black crop top, and black boots.

    "That was¡­ easily the hardest fight so far." Sero rasped, slowly becoming aware of the aches within his body. His nerves felt fried, his mind a haze. A sharp, stinging pain pulsed across his chest, reminding Sero of Zioth¡¯s final slash. "Wait¡­ what happened after I passed out?"

    A prideful grin bloomed across the Paradox¡¯s face. "You won! Well, technically, Zioth managed to stay awake longer than you did, but he conceded before he passed out." Kit tapped his forehead with a finger. "There are some mixed reactions towards the ending of the match, though. Some people said it was a dirty move, luring Zioth into thinking it was a contest of swords before you pulled that stunt."

    Sero chuckled, then regretted it as his body convulsed in pain.

    "Take it easy. You put your body through hell." Kit pouted. "But, it was incredible to watch you continuously pull stuff out of nowhere."

    "Thanks." Sero said weakly, feeling several Recovery spells actively working on him. "So, I guess that means that I¡¯m moving on to the semi-finals?"

    "Yup," Kit smirked. "Those complaining about your win couldn¡¯t really do anything after Zioth firmly stuck by his choice of conceding the win to you. He said that you won fair and square, no matter how you did it."

    Sero took a slow and painful breath, letting it out slowly as he processed her words. "Shit¡­ so it¡¯s me, Raul, Elena, and Liam."

    Even though he won, Sero didn¡¯t feel as if he truly deserved it. Knowing that Zioth was conscious after he passed out even for a short while made him feel as if he wasn¡¯t strong enough to take on any of the S-ranks. Maybe there was a chance if he went up against Raul, but Elena¡¯s dragon and Liam¡¯s brutality was daunting to say the least.

    "Hey, give yourself some credit," The Paradox purred reassuringly. "Who else could say that they rose up from F-rank to A-rank in a month? Not to mention get as far as the semi-finals in a tournament, all while getting used to life in a changed world?"

    "R-right." Sero was glad that even though his friends were busy, Kit always seemed to be there when he needed someone.

    "I¡¯m thinking,... you might want your reward now?" Kit asked with a mischievous smile.

    "Reward?" It slowly dawned on Sero, causing an ugly smile to contort his face. "You mean, your Cat Paradox skill?"

    Kit giggled and nodded. "Here, I¡¯ll do it on you."

    "Wait, what¨C"

    The Paradox placed a hand on his arm, gazing into his eyes. Her blue and green eyes glowed with a white outline.

    "Hey, I think you¡¯re in perfect condition, don¡¯t you?"

    "Huh? What are you talking about?"

    "Go along with it, please?" Kit squeezed his arm gently. "I think you¡¯re in perfect condition. You do too, right? Truly?"

    "Well," Sero decided to trust Kit. "Yeah. Yeah, I¡¯m in perfect condition."

    Sero¡¯s body buzzed with power as he watched the white light in Kit¡¯s eyes glow brighter and then dimmed. ¡®Cat Paradox¡¯, the skill that enabled the user to force their will upon the world. Sero understood that there were limitations to the skill, but it essentially was a distant emulation of its predecessor. He learned that Kit¡¯s teleportation relied on her believing either she was there, or she wasn¡¯t.

    "Holy¡­ shit¡­" Sero whispered as he grasped the concepts behind her skill. "That¡¯s¡­ pretty broken."

    The Paradox giggled again, removing her hand from his arm. "How do you feel?"

    "I feel-" Sero blinked in surprise, feeling no trace of pain anywhere. Even the sharp stinging on his chest was gone. "I feel fine."

    He whirled his gaze towards Kit, an evil glint in his eyes. "Does this mean I can do pretty much anything?"

    Kit flicked his forehead playfully. "There are limits, my little bookworm. First, it has the most impact on yourself. To enforce it onto others is much more difficult, since they have to be willing. Not to mention, the most important aspect is belief. If you don¡¯t believe in the will you¡¯re trying to enact, it won¡¯t happen no matter how many times you activate the skill itself."

    "So, that¡¯s how you¡¯re able to also teleport me?" Sero asked with wonder.

    Kit tilted her head. "Sort of. I¡¯ve only directly teleported you once, right? When I took you back to your apartment. That was because you wanted to go home, so the Cat Paradox worked. When I teleported us to the restaurant that night, I only used it on Enzo¡¯s car. Sentient beings are harder to use the skill on, but there are loopholes."

    "Plus," Kit smiled sheepishly. "One of the reasons I can¡¯t have you looking at me when I use the skill to teleport is because it¡¯ll affect the laws of reality. If I believe I¡¯m somewhere else, but you believe I¡¯m there in the moment because you see me, it¡¯ll cause a rift with varying consequences."

    "Like what?" Sero felt nervous about the skill now.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    "Hmm, from the best case scenario to the worst case? The best I could hope for is a dimensional black hole rip in reality. The worst? Another me."

    "Another you?" Sero blinked. Having two Kits would be interesting, not to mention the potential that came with two beautiful women.

    The Paradox frowned, as if sensing Sero¡¯s thoughts. "Hey, two of me doesn¡¯t always mean we¡¯re the same person. I¡¯d also have to share you with my other."

    "That doesn¡¯t seem too bad¨C"

    "You¡¯d also cease to exist if one of me comes into physical contact with you."

    "Ah. Yeah, that¡¯s pretty bad." Sero shivered at the thought. "Anyway, I¡¯m excited to try it out. Any tips?"

    It was only for a brief moment, but Sero swore he saw a hint of guilt in her eyes. Kit smiled, leaning back and crossing her legs. "Let¡¯s start with something simple. Try believing that you¡¯ve got a can of soda in your hands."

    Sero sat up and concentrated, imagining the coolness of the can in his palm. His body buzzed, casting Cat Paradox. Nothing happened.

    "What the hell?" Sero murmured. "I can literally feel the can, so why isn¡¯t this working? Am I not believing hard enough?"

    "So, about that," Kit looked apologetic. "I have a passive called Lawbreak, which allows my paradox skills to work on reality, to an extent. Without it, it¡¯s like a car that won¡¯t start without gas."

    "Oh." Sero felt an immeasurable sense of disappointment. He had been looking forward to copying Kit¡¯s powerful Cat Paradox, but learning that it only worked with her passive was a let down, to put it simply.

    "Sorry," The Paradox patted Sero¡¯s cheek. "There was a part of me that hoped you¡¯d be able to use it. If it makes you feel any better, the skill isn¡¯t an end all, be all. If your belief waivers during the skill, it¡¯ll wear off. So, keep believing that you¡¯re fine, and you will be, otherwise, you¡¯ll be feeling that pain coming back."

    "All right," Sero sighed as he pulled his phone from his Shadow Shift. "At least I was able to copy it."

    "What if your Influence could somehow make it work?"

    "That did cross my mind, but I don¡¯t even know how it works." Sero scowled. "I can supposedly copy passives for a brief period of time, but I don¡¯t have any indicators of it activating."

    Kit shrugged. "I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure it out."

    Sero grunted in agreement, scrolling through his messages. His eyes widened in shock.

    "Hey¡­ my dad¡¯s out of surgery. He¡¯s stable."

    "That¡¯s great!" Kit grinned. "I¡¯d offer to take you to him, but the semi-finals are about to start as soon as they fix the arena. How about you give him a call?"

    Sero nodded, dialing Amaya¡¯s number. A couple of rings later, the call connected, displaying a video of Amaya.

    "Hey, Sero," Amaya grinned, Nala waving behind her. "Look who¡¯s here."

    She panned the phone around, showing Tiero resting comfortably on his bed. Though he was still sickly in appearance, it seemed as though he had a lot more energy than before.

    "Dad," Sero croaked, feeling a lump in his throat. "How are you feeling?"

    "Sero!" Tiero smiled weakly. "I¡¯m feeling a little weak, but at least I¡¯m not in too much pain."

    Casey¡¯s head popped into frame. "Mr. Sero, I was with him the entire time! Well, not in the surgery room, but I made sure he was ok after!" The boy¡¯s eyes shone with pride as he gave a little salute. "I saw some of your match, too! You were awesome."

    "Haha.. thanks, Casey."

    The phone moved closer to Tiero, who took it and brought it up to his face. "Son, I¡¯m sorry I missed your match. I heard you won, though."

    Sero shook his head. "No, I should be apologizing. I wasn¡¯t there for your surgery."

    His father chuckled softly. "True, but we both somehow managed to pull through. You¡¯ve got the semi-finals next, right?"

    "Yeah," Sero felt his anxiety creeping up and pushed it away. "It¡¯s going to be tough."

    Tiero nodded. "Good luck, son. I know you¡¯ll do well. I love you."

    "Thanks, Dad," Sero swallowed. " Get some rest; I¡¯ll see you soon."

    He hung up, noticing the way Kit was staring at him curiously.

    "What?"

    "Nothing," she shook her head. "Ready to go back to the waiting room?"

    "Don¡¯t I have to wait for the doctor¡¯s permission to be discharged?"

    Kit stuck her tongue out playfully.

    "Cat Paradox. Right."

    <hr>

    It was late afternoon by the time Sero got ready to go back. Kit teleported them in front of the waiting area doors, where she turned to Sero with a semi-serious look.

    "The matches you¡¯ve fought so far won¡¯t begin to compare to the next round. Be prepared, ok?"

    "Yeah, I will." Sero was taken aback by Kit¡¯s slight change in attitude. "Thanks."

    The Paradox smiled warmly. "That¡¯s my little bookworm."

    Sero entered the door without looking back, allowing Kit to teleport if she wanted to unhindered. As he walked in, he noticed the lack of chairs, with Liam and Elena sitting next to each other while Raul sat a few seats away from them. Sero chose the seat next to the Rage Fist, feeling the tension in the air.

    "Hey Sero," Raul nodded to him, then doubled back. "You seem pretty healthy for a guy who wrecked his body."

    "I had some help from Kit," Sero replied as he sat down. At the mention of the Paradox, Liam turned his head slightly, giving Sero a side eye. He recalled Kit saying that they were both in the same guild.

    "That doesn¡¯t¡­ explain anything, but ok." Raul crossed his arms. "If you¡¯re feeling fine, then that¡¯s all that matters."

    "Attention, you four," The man with the scar approached them. "The semi-finals will begin soon. Please ensure that you have made the necessary preparations." He walked away, leaving them to their own devices.

    Sero took a deep breath, making sure his body was in perfect condition. The competition was about to reach a whole different level, and Sero got the feeling he couldn¡¯t afford to make any misjudgments. Even if he went up against Raul, Sero was fairly certain the Rage Fist would give it his all.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen!¡± The announcer boomed out. "Before we begin the semi-finals, we have a quick update from the Ascendants Association! Due to technical and timing conflicts, the tournament will be extended one more day. The final match will occur tomorrow afternoon."

    The crowd murmured but otherwise weren¡¯t too bothered by the announcement. Raul turned to Sero with a questionable gaze.

    "Huh, wonder why they decided to add another day¡­"

    "Who knows?" Sero shrugged, keeping quiet about the conversation he had with the S-ranks prior.

    After a couple of minutes, the announcer began to start, ratting off sponsors and advertisements. The man with the scar came up and stood in front of the four participants, clearing his throat.

    "The semi-finals will now begin. The first match will be¡­Liam¡­"

    Sero bounced his leg nervously.

    "...And Raul Delgato. Please make your way to the arena."

    Sero let out a silent sigh of relief. Though he was glad he wasn¡¯t facing off against the Demonic Enforcer just yet, it was also unfortunate that he wasn¡¯t going against Raul. He glanced at the Rage Fist, noticing the mixed expression of apprehension and anger.

    "Raul¡­"

    "Yeah," he nodded. "I know. Thanks, Sero."

    As he watched the two men enter their respective doors, Sero felt a wave of dread wash over him. No matter how much he wanted Raul to win, Sero¡¯s gut told him that the match would be over in an instant.

 Chapter 43: Merciless

    "Hey Mr. Tiero, Mr. Sero¡¯s pretty cool, isn¡¯t he?" Casey asked, looking up at the screen.

    "Yes, he is." Sero¡¯s father smiled at the boy sitting on his bed. After waking up from the surgery right after Sero¡¯s match, the first Tiero did was ask Nala and Amaya for a video of his son¡¯s match. Despite their protests and urging for him to rest, Amaya begrudgingly obliged and pulled up the recording.

    The four had watched Sero¡¯s match against Zioth, with Casey becoming more and more enthralled by Sero¡¯s performance. At this point, the boy was idolizing the Scholar, much to the chagrin of Amaya.

    "How do you think he¡¯ll do?" Nala quietly asked the liaison as they heard the tournament extension announcement.

    "I¡¯m not sure," Amaya admitted. "He¡¯s grown strong pretty fast, but Elena and Liam are much more experienced than he is. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he lost in the semi-finals."

    The two watched as Raul and Liam¡¯s names were called out. Casey groaned in disappointment when he realized Sero wasn¡¯t up first. Tiero chuckled and ruffled the boy¡¯s hair.

    "I feel the same way," Nala replied. "But somehow, I feel like there¡¯s a chance Sero could actually win the tournament."

    "You really think so?"

    "Maybe."

    The women went silent, watching the screen as Casey began to pester Tiero. Amaya couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of sadness watching the two.

    "You ok?"

    "Huh?" Amaya jerked out of her thoughts, turning to Nala. "Oh. Yeah, I¡¯m fine."

    The Shadereaper raised an eyebrow, as if she didn¡¯t believe her. Under her gaze, Amaya gave a wry smile.

    "Just missing my dad, that¡¯s all." She finally said, forcing the hurt down. Nala reached out and squeezed the liaison¡¯s hand comfortingly. Though she didn¡¯t say anything else, Amaya appreciated the gesture. Nala knew about her family and shared her stories of her mother. The apocalypse last year was devastating, but nothing compared to the pain they shared over lost loved ones.

    Maybe it was because of that that Amaya felt so strongly about helping Tiero, and seeing how Casey quickly grew on the group made her want to protect the child as well. The two women had paid a visit to his grandmother, and upon seeing the extremely grim state she was in, understood that she didn¡¯t have much time left. They weren¡¯t sure if Casey knew exactly what the situation was, but they could tell he at least was aware of the future. Amaya reasoned that it was probably the reason why he recently had been spending more time with the group instead of with his comatose grandmother.

    "Anyway, leaving that aside, have you heard any updates about the¡­ you know?"

    Nala shook her head. "Kit hasn¡¯t sensed anything out of the ordinary yet, but maybe there might be some activity since they announced the extension."

    Amaya sighed, squeezing the Shadereaper¡¯s hand back. "I just hope this will all be over soon."

    <hr>

    Raul and Liam stared at each other after the referee jogged away. She had been a little nervous speaking to them due to Liam¡¯s intimidating presence and Raul¡¯s simmering rage.

    "You sure you want to go through with this?" Liam lazily asked, his eyes unfeeling.

    "I don¡¯t know what your goal for winning this tournament is, but that shouldn¡¯t be an excuse for that kind of brutality." Raul responded, clenching his fists.

    The Demonic Enforcer raised an eyebrow. "Winning the tournament both increases my status and gives me the right to climb higher on the ranks. You don¡¯t rise from being nice and merciful."

    "That¡¯s it? You just want to climb the numbered ranks? It¡¯s just a number!" Raul said incredulously, feeling his rage beginning to boil over.

    "And those numbers signify strength. The top ten means you¡¯re one of the ten strongest in the world. All I have to do is be number 10, and I will be recognized."

    "Number 10?" Raul furrowed his eyebrows. "Is this about your brother? Do you just want to prove that you¡¯re better than him?"

    Liam¡¯s face twitched. It seemed that Raul had struck a nerve.

    "Watch your words, bottom-rank," Liam whispered, using a derogatory term that referred to the lower tier of S-ranks. "I¡¯m ranked 12th in the world."

    Raul didn¡¯t respond, cracking his knuckles instead. As the announcer began the countdown, the two men remained motionless where they were.

    "Not going to give yourself space?" Liam narrowed his eyes. "You¡¯re that confident?"This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Raul kept quiet, listening to the announcer as he neared the final count.

    "3.. 2.. 1!"

    Both men didn¡¯t move, continuing to stare at each other.

    "What are you doing?" Liam asked. "Aren¡¯t you going to fight me?"

    Raul crouched, raising his fists. As much as he did want to punch the arrogance out of Liam, he knew making the first move would mean an instant loss for him.

    Liam sighed, pulling a hand out from his hoodie. "Fine, I¡¯ll start."

    The Demonic Enforcer¡¯s eyes glowed red with power. He held out his hand, blood red mana swirling around it. It condensed into an elongated pole, solidifying into a golden staff adorned with black trims at each end.

    ¡®Order¡¯, the name of the staff Liam wielded. Like Enzo¡¯s Jury, the staff was incredibly heavy, but its condition for use was that the owner must possess a harmonious state of mind.

    Raul took a small breath, readying himself for Liam¡¯s attack as he activated his mana and energy efficiencies. He figured that by allowing Liam to attack first, Pacify wouldn¡¯t activate, thus weakening the potential of Provoke.

    "Just remember, I gave you an out." Liam said as dark red electricity sparked around him. ¡®Hellspark¡¯, a demonic natured lightning skill. Just like Hellfire, it carried corrosive and corrupted energy, making the element even stronger and destructive compared to mundane lightning.

    The Demonic Enforcer stepped forward, immediately swinging his staff with extreme finesse. Covered in Hellspark, the heavy rod was a dangerous object to be struck by, causing Raul to avoid the attacks completely instead of trying to block it.

    Despite using only one hand to swing Order, Liam kept Raul on his toes, effortlessly chaining jabs and swings with blinding speed. Raul activated his Focused Rage, feeling a sharp increase to his anger. He channeled that emotion into his strength and speed, making it easier to dodge Liam¡¯s staff.

    Deciding it was time to counter, Raul side-stepped a swing, moving in close and delivering a solid punch to Liam¡¯s stomach. Raul gritted his teeth as his fist connected with the Demonic Enforcer¡¯s abdomen. It was like punching a steel wall. The Hellspark that radiated off Liam¡¯s body also struck Raul, sending painful shocks down his arm.

    Raul ignored the lightning and continued his assault, throwing rage-empowered strikes every chance he got. Liam grew increasingly annoyed, as if Raul was a pesky mosquito.

    The Rage Fist drew his fist back, casting ¡®Temper Pulse¡¯, which gave his attacks an additional on-hit impact that grew stronger the more enraged he was. Raul landed a solid blow directly to Liam¡¯s jaw, causing him to stagger back for the first time.

    Not letting up, Raul launched a flurry of blows that echoed every hit, pushing Liam back step by step. The Demonic Enforcer was visibly irritated, recovering mid-assault and using his staff to block Raul¡¯s punches. Raul grunted from the dark red sparks flying off.

    "What an explosive performance by the Rage Fist!" The announcer cried out, inciting the audience. "It seems as though he¡¯s trying to put the pressure on Liam before he can do anything!"

    "That¡¯s¡­ annoying¡­" Liam growled, suddenly engulfing his body with dark red flames. Raul gasped, hopping back before the flames could touch him. If it was just one element, he was fairly certain he¡¯d be ok, but with the additional Hellfire aura, Raul wasn¡¯t too keen on tanking passive damage from two.

    He casted ¡®Fury Palm¡¯, a ranged counterpart to his Temper Pulse and immediately threw several jabs, shooting bolts of orange mana at Liam. The Demonic Enforcer¡¯s eyes glowed red, casting Pacify and dampening the oncoming projectiles.

    Raul gritted his teeth, reinforcing his body and diving back into close combat. Liam¡¯s Pacify wore off as Raul¡¯s assault caused the Demonic Enforcer to shift stances.

    "You¡¯re very annoying," Liam snarled, batting away Raul¡¯s attacks. "I offered you a chance to step down, but you¡¯re really going to do this."

    Raul kept quiet, speeding up his punches and kicks as his rage grew. He had to beat Liam quickly before he could retaliate.

    Orange on red mana clashed in the air in a storm of power, quickly tearing up the ground. Although Raul had managed to minimize the momentum of Pacify, he was worried that Liam would soon regain his tempo.

    As if on cue, Liam let out a roar of frustration, activating Provoke. Raul flinched from the massive pressure the Demonic Enforcer exerted, drawing back to escape the aura. A dark red aura enveloped Liam, crackling lightning and flames dancing across his body. Before Raul could even blink, Liam disappeared, only to quickly pop into view in front of him.

    Reflexively, Raul raised his arms, blocking a punch that jarred every bone in his body. The Rage Fist¡¯s eyes widened with shock at the impact, grunting with pain as the Hellspark and Hellfire jumped over his body. Raul brushed off the pain, blasting Liam away with Fury Palm.

    The Demonic Enforcer recovered quickly, dashing back to pummel Raul with several punches and kicks. Though he tried his best, Raul couldn¡¯t keep up with Liam¡¯s increasingly damaging savagery, failing to block more and more of his attacks.

    "Gah!" Raul cried out, falling back and clutching at his stomach. Blood seeped through his torn shirt and pooled on the ground beneath him. Liam paused for a moment, regarding the Rage Fist with a mixture of annoyance and respect.

    "You''ve managed to keep up with me this long," Liam sneered. "Unfortunately, this is as far as you go." As he lifted a foot to smash down onto Raul, the Rage Fist suddenly roared, launching himself up off the ground. Liam''s foot connected with nothing but air, and Raul''s fist slammed into his jaw with enough force to send him flying several yards back.

    Liam landed gracefully, his anger now on full display. He hadn''t expected Raul to still fight, and it was getting on his nerves.

    On the other hand, Raul got up, embracing the rage he felt at the Demonic Enforcer''s attitude towards those weaker than him. His body surged with power, giving him another wind as he raced towards Liam, wanting to let loose. A small part of him felt like something was off as he threw the first punch straight at Liam¡¯s face.

    Liam took the punch head on, throwing out a punch of his own. Raul wheezed as he felt Liam¡¯s fist drive deep into his stomach, followed by an explosive burst of demonic energy. Utter agony shot through Raul¡¯s body, causing him to convulse and drop to his knees.

    After that, it was a blur as the Demonic Enforcer launched a continuous stream of attacks, beating Raul to a pulp. Even as he was knocked away, Liam leaped after him, pummeling him with more punches and kicks. At one point, Raul had passed out, but Liam didn¡¯t stop, causing the referee to blow the whistle and rush towards them, followed by a couple of guards and medics.

    The Demonic Enforcer roared, sending out a wave of red mana. It seemed as if he had lost control. The audience were screaming in terror, watching as the guards attempted to subdue Liam.

 Chapter 44: Semi-Final Jitters

    Sero bounced his leg, both from fear and anger. It was a terrifying sight to witness, seeing how devastating Liam could be. It was also extremely infuriating to watch Raul get senselessly beaten even after he couldn¡¯t fight back.

    He watched onscreen as the referee blew the whistle, and the other officials tried to calm Liam down. Though it took a bit, the Demonic Enforcer eventually pulled himself off of the unconscious Rage Fist, his eyes no longer frenzied. Sero glanced over at Elena, who didn¡¯t seem disturbed by Liam¡¯s behavior.

    "Are all S-ranks like this?" Sero muttered to himself, then remembered Kit and Gregor. Enzo was a possible exception as well, but that was only after he had been improving from training. The screens cut to advertisements, allowing the medics to safely transport Raul to the infirmary.

    "You two, make any preparations you need. Your match will begin soon." The man with the scar told them.

    Sero took a deep breath, feeling his nerves calm down from his Rationality. Compared to Liam, at least Elena wasn¡¯t that brutal, though her dragon was a bit much, to say the least.

    He glanced at his phone, seeing another encouraging selfie from the four back at the hospital. Right. Sero couldn¡¯t stop now, not when his father was now able to watch his next match.

    A short while later, Liam returned to the waiting room. Sero was surprised to see him back, especially since the final match would be tomorrow, so there was no need for him to return.

    At the Demonic Enforcer¡¯s arrival, the officials in the room immediately went on guard, watching his every move. Elena didn¡¯t seem perturbed, absentmindedly scrolling through her phone. Liam gazed around the room until he took notice of Sero, then started walking towards him.

    "Oh, fuck." Sero whispered to himself. Just the sight of the S-rank was enough to instill fear into him, but watching him walk to him was a different level. As Liam stood in front of him, gazing down, Sero wondered if he needed to find a way to escape.

    "You¡¯re going to proceed?"

    Sero blinked, caught off guard by his question. Swallowing hard, Sero stared back defiantly.

    "Yeah. I am."

    Liam narrowed his eyes, staring at him coolly as if he were a predator amused by his prey. He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed.

    "On the off-chance that Elena somehow loses," Liam opened his eyes, a hint of pity and annoyance flickering in his red pupils. "Then I¡¯ll make sure I crush you worse than that worthless bottom-rank."

    Despite the chilling delivery of his words, Sero felt an indignant anger for Raul. Sure, they weren¡¯t very close, but the Rage Fist wasn¡¯t a bad person. And from what Sero had seen, Raul was strong in his own right.

    "Power complex, much?" Sero blurted without thinking. The officials all stiffened.

    Liam didn¡¯t reply immediately, a slow rage burning in his eyes. Though he knew he should¡¯ve held his tongue, Sero just couldn¡¯t take his high and mighty attitude any longer. He had too much experience with people like Liam during his academic years.

    "No matter how many skills you copy," Liam began quietly. "It won¡¯t matter if you ever go up against me. You¡¯ll learn the reason hierarchies exist, and I will be the one to teach you. You better hope that my brother taught you how to survive."

    Sero clenched his jaw tightly as the Demonic Enforcer walked away. Liam terrified him, more now with his threat, but Sero still couldn¡¯t let go of the anger he felt.

    "Champion, you need to be careful¡­" Aphiel¡¯s worried tone broke through his angered thoughts.

    "I know," Sero¡¯s Rationality took over. "Thanks for worrying about me."

    After Liam left the room, the atmosphere seemed to relax considerably. The man with the scar cleared his throat as he nodded to Sero and Elena.

    "You two are up. Please enter the arena."

    Sero followed the Scaletamer to the doors, where she gave him a curious look before entering. Sero didn¡¯t think too much of it, going through the door on the right.

    "Please, follow me." Sero blinked in surprise. Instead of Kit, one of the male officials was there to escort him to the arena. Somehow, that was a little disheartening, though Sero quickly surmised that Kit probably had something important to do.

    <hr>

    A few minutes later, Sero found himself back in the arena, facing Elena as their referee went over the ground rules. He studied the Scaletamer, noting how calm and imposing she seemed. Her brown eyes were clear and focused, glancing back and forth between Sero and the referee. In the last two days, she wore the same form-fitting business suit and slacks, and today was no exception. As the referee nodded her head to the two and jogged away, Elena directed her full attention to Sero.

    "You¡¯re an A-rank, yes?" Sero heard her voice for the first time. It was low and raspy, but in a strangely pleasing way. He didn¡¯t know why, but it felt like a cat¡¯s fur if it was coarse.

    "Uh, y-yeah." Sero stammered. He wasn¡¯t expecting to talk; at least, not in a cordial way.

    "Interesting. Your abilities suggest to me that you¡¯d fare better as an S-rank." Sero found it attractive at how well-spoken she was.

    "Thanks?"

    Elena smiled. "I say this because I would like to know how you wish for me to approach this match. I can fight as I''ve been in my previous matches, or I can consider you an S-rank and use the appropriate power."The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Sero raised an eyebrow, quickly understanding what she was insinuating. "You¡¯re saying you¡¯ll win either way?"

    "Your plethora of skills and replicating ability may be impressive, but I have a feeling you¡¯re not well-versed in combat. At least, not yet."

    "That¡¯s.. true," Sero admitted. "But, I don¡¯t plan on losing. Summoning that overgrown lizard is the best chance you¡¯ll get if you want to win."

    Elena laughed, a whispery roughness to it. "Then, I suppose that is your answer? To fight as S-ranks?"

    "Yeah," Sero grinned. "Don¡¯t hold back."

    They walked a couple paces away, turning to face each other. The crowd had regained their spark and were cheering loudly as the announcer began his countdown.

    "3.. 2.. 1!"

    The Scaletamer remained still, watching Sero carefully instead of acting. That was fine with him. As soon as the announcer had finished, Sero immediately activated his efficiencies, Iron Skin, and Perfect Analysis. He left out Inspiration for now, since his plan required a different approach.

    Sero launched forward, conjuring a mana cannon and blasting a couple of nukes at Elena. She smiled and snapped her fingers in response, summoning her alligator familiar.

    As it roared and blocked the shots with ease, Sero copied the skill as ¡®Summon: Crawl¡¯, which allowed the caster to call forth a familiar with four legs. The enormous olive alligator Elena summoned was suited for defense, though it wasn¡¯t very fast.

    Sero dispersed his cannon, shifting in shadows as the alligator opened its jaws to chomp down on him. He dropped a couple of mana knives as he passed through its teeth harmlessly, detonating them in its mouth with a snap as he solidified. The familiar roared with pain, but Sero had to focus on Elena, who braced herself.

    He blasted a couple of railguns at her, trying to throw her off balance, but she gracefully danced around his attacks, snapping her fingers and re-summoning the alligator back to her side. Sero scowled in annoyance, raising a hand upwards.

    As the familiar came barreling towards him, Sero conjured the Jury axe, timing the crash so that it struck the alligator''s snout. It was the first time Sero had ever seen the Jury hit something other than inanimate objects, so he wasn''t prepared for the sheer strength of the weapon cleaving through the alligator''s snout with a sickening wet squish.

    The familiar''s roar was cut short as the axe fell to the ground, emitting a powerful shockwave that propelled the momentum of the cleave, splitting it in two. The alligator immediately dispersed in a shower of emerald dust.

    Sero released the axe, letting it disappear as he prepared to face Elena. A solid kick to his chest sent him flying backwards, but he managed to catch a glimpse of Elena, who had casted Simulate. He recovered quickly as he copied the skill, eager to test it out later. The Scaletamer blinked in front of him, ready to attack again, but Sero was prepared, casting Fairness to even their strength.

    Elena stumbled, but kept going as she launched a barrage of magic-infused attacks. Sero matched her, conjuring his sword and defending against her attacks. As they fought, Sero frequently summoned Sting only to parry Elena¡¯s attacks when he couldn¡¯t, massively reducing the mana consumption she required. It also helped with the power surge he gained from Fairness, sending what excess strength he couldn¡¯t handle to Sting.

    The Scaletamer furrowed her brows, beginning to sense that she couldn¡¯t overwhelm him quickly. The strength at which she fought Sero was nowhere near the level she had when she fought Kanna, causing him to think she used the alligator¡¯s power instead of the dragon¡¯s.

    That was a little demeaning to him, especially after she asked him if he wanted her to use her full power. Sero smiled dryly, feeling the urge to make her regret taking it easy.

    With a roar, Sero dispersed his blade and casted Undying Spirit as soon as his Fairness wore off, capitalizing on the surge of power to land a couple of solid hits on the Scaletamer. Every punch that connected drained a large portion of her mana, straight to Sero himself. Elena gasped, taken aback by the sudden loss, but she managed to break away from him using a pair of ethereal jade wings that sprouted behind her.

    Sero¡¯s analysis found out that she had switched Simulate targets, and now her power was rising with her dragon familiar. Elena took flight, her wings flapping quietly as she gazed down at him.

    "Ok, I¡¯ll admit it. I was taking it easy on you after your match with Zioth because I thought you¡¯d be in a more fragile state," Elena raised an arm. "I apologize for underestimating you."

    Sero didn¡¯t reply, licking his lips with a grin instead. As much as he wanted to engage in flirtatious banter with the Scaletamer, Liam¡¯s words got to him. To make good on his promise to his father, Sero had to make sure he won this match, and that included minimizing the amount of damage he took. That way, he¡¯d be in a semi-decent condition to face off against Liam. Assuming he won against Elena.

    With a snap, she conjured an enormous jade portal behind her. A slow smile bloomed across Sero''s face as he copied the ''Summon: Drake'' skill.

    A few moments later, Elena''s gargantuan emerald dragon bellowed out from the portal, briefly drowning out all other noises with a thunderous roar. It crashed onto the arena, shaking the entire stadium as it landed. Sero shivered as he craned his neck upwards to take in the shining dark green scales that covered the dragon''s body.

    He pushed his fear down, raising an arm and casting his own Summon: Drake. With a snap of his fingers, two portals open behind him.

    "Oh shit, nice!" Sero thought to himself excitedly. He wasn¡¯t expecting to be able to summon two dragon familiars at the same time.

    Elena gazed at him curiously, without a hint of nervousness. If Sero didn¡¯t know any better, he would¡¯ve thought she was more interested in what his dragons would look like rather than winning the match. That was fine with him, since he was going to summon two powerful familiars to deal with her dragon.

    The Scaletamer¡¯s familiar lowered its head, anticipating Sero¡¯s summons with a rumbling growl. Sero felt a surge of power as two dark shapes zoomed out of the portal.

    "Mrow?"

    "Oh. My. God. They are absolutely adorable!" Elena squealed with delight.

    Sero stared in disbelief at the two dragons he summoned. They were both roughly the size of a cat. In fact, one had a lighter green coat of fur whereas the other had a darker shade. The twin dragons sniffed around cautiously, looking at each other before slowly approaching the Scaletamer''s dragon. It was clear that they weren''t intimidated by the giant dragon.

    "You''re kidding me," Sero muttered to himself, though now that he thought about it, it did make sense for them to be so tiny. When summoning Sting for the first time, she was also akin to a newborn, though she was able to rapidly adapt during the match against Zioth.

    Elena ran over to the dragon babies, kneeling and petting them. Sero could only watch open-mouthed as the S-rank played with his summons as if the match didn''t matter anymore.

    "Oh, they are indeed very cute, champion!" Aphiel butted in, much to his annoyance.

    "Uhhh... we''re in the middle of something, aren''t we?" Sero called out to Elena.

    "Huh? Oh, right." Elena stood up and brushed off, composing herself. She dashed back to her dragon''s side, activating her Simulate.

    Sero''s dragons bounded back to him, gazing up at him curiously. They chirped and bumped their heads into his legs, their tiny wings flapping quietly. He crouched down, scratching them behind their ears, feeling a warmth spread through his body at the sight of them. They were adorable, no doubt about it, but he had a match to win. He straightened up, casting a quick glance at Elena.

    "While I''d rather not fight the pups, I''m still resolved in winning this match," The Scaletamer began, readying herself and her massive dragon. "Regardless, after this, would I perhaps get the chance to play with your familiars?" she asked, casting a smile in Sero''s direction.

    "Um... sure." Sero glanced at the two baby dragons playing around his feet, getting the sense that this match may be a lot harder than expected.

 Chapter 45: Hard Work Pays Off

    The dragon pups had gotten used to their surroundings and were patiently waiting by Sero¡¯s feet, purring. Elena stood idly, like she wanted him to make the first move.

    Deactivating his Undying Spirit, Sero noticed that the dragons weren¡¯t draining his mana to remain summoned, but they had taken a substantial amount in order to do so. Compared to Sting, they had their own mana reserves, decently robust despite their size. However, if Sero had to use Simulate, it wouldn¡¯t be much of a boost since his own reserves were about equal to the two of them combined.

    He sighed, deciding he¡¯d see what the dragon pups could do. Sero casted his usual skills, conjuring his mana blade in preparation for battle. He was still pretty healthy and wanted to remain that way.

    Sero discovered that he could command his dragons through thought, but it was more of an instinctive thought rather than words. He dashed forward, immediately casting Fairness to even their strengths. Elena snapped her fingers, causing her giant familiar to roar as it swung its head down to meet him. Sero snapped his own fingers in response, calling his two dragons to appear by his side.

    He wasn¡¯t exactly sure what they could do, but he was hoping that they¡¯d at least distract the Scaletamer¡¯s dragon long enough for him to do some heavy damage. As it turned out, they were much more clever than he had given them credit for. The moment they appeared, they dashed forward, one going for the giant dragon''s front legs while the other went for its tail. The giant dragon roared in surprise and whipped its tail around, nearly hitting Sero. He dodged just in time, barely feeling the wind from the impact.

    He wasn''t so lucky dodging Elena though, grunting as he got a direct clothesline to the neck. Getting knocked away, he caught sight of the giant dragon charging up its breath as he landed. With a loud roar, Elena''s familiar breathed a fiery torrent of dark green flames right towards him.

    Sero yelped with fear and surprise as he scrambled to his feet, but before he could react, his darker colored dragon leapt in front of him, opening its tiny jaws wide. With a whoosh, it sucked up the flames in its entirety, swallowing it with a burp as it finished.

    "Oh," Sero said, glancing at the two dragons. He felt a surge of relief, realizing that they had absorbed the attack and protected him. He turned his attention back to Elena, who seemed surprised by their actions. "Thanks, guys," he muttered, patting his darker colored dragon on the head, hearing it audibly purr. The lighter colored dragon growled with jealousy, turning to the giant dragon and crouching low.

    Expecting it to be able to swallow attacks as well, Sero was once again surprised when it howled and glowed bright green, a misty lime haze wafting from Elena¡¯s dragon to the pup. His familiar filled him with a surge of strength as Elena¡¯s dragon whined from being weakened. He quickly figured that the darker dragon could absorb and provide defensive capabilities while the lighter provided support and debuffs.

    Sero grinned to himself, clashing with Elena once again as he relied on his summons to deal with her familiar. His initial worries had faded away as he kept up with her, his dragons surprisingly doing the same with their opponent. It was almost as if every fight he had been through made him stronger. Of course, most of that growth was due to the many skills he had acquired, but Sero felt like he was gaining more and more experience in battle.

    He batted several of Elena¡¯s attacks away with his blade, firing off alternating nukes and railguns to wear her down. Even after his Fairness wore off, the light green dragon kept his strength consistent, though he began to struggle against the Scaletamer. With a shout, Sero casted Undying Spirit once more, landing several strikes as he sapped the mana from Elena.

    The shocked look on her face told him that she was not expecting him to prove more than a challenge for her. She began to fire dense concentrations of magical blasts in desperation, hoping to push him back. Sero countered by summoning Sting to deflect the blasts, obscuring Elena¡¯s vision with a couple of detonating mana knives as well.

    "What an incredible match!" The announcer shouted with glee. "Sero seems to have gained the upper hand despite summoning two runts! Compared to the match against Zioth, the Scholar seems like a different person!"

    Elena growled with frustration, looking as if she couldn''t believe that she was being pushed back. Her familiar was also having a hard time dealing with Sero''s dragons, as it was forced to constantly defend itself against the lighter colored one''s debuffing. With a final roar, the giant dragon summoned a fierce gust of wind, hoping to knock Sero and his dragons off their feet.

    Sero smirked again, sensing the attack coming. He quickly casted Force Field around himself and his dragons, blocking the attack effortlessly. The giant dragon growled in frustration, but it was too late. Sero took advantage of the opening and unleashed a powerful nuke at the beast, striking it directly in the chest. The impact didn''t really do much, but it did tick it off Elena''s familiar, causing it to focus its attention on him.

    "Oh shit," Sero muttered with regret as he felt the giant dragon''s anger. He quickly casted Inspiration on himself and his dragons, trying to outmaneuver the familiar as it charged at them. The lighter colored dragon darted around, keeping the giant distracted with its quick movements while the darker one stayed close to Sero, ready to absorb any attacks that might get past them. Sting was busy clashing with Elena, though the Scaletamer was gradually gaining the upper hand.

    Sero checked his mana reserves, relieved that it was still more than halfway full. Elena snapped her fingers, summoning her alligator as well as the giant pair of snakes she used against Kanna. Copying the ¡®Summon: Slither¡¯ skill, Sero brought out the entire 12 face cards roster to help, turning the match into an all-out war. He was hesitant on doing so, but when he realized the dark and light dragon pups were working in tandem to steal mana from Elena¡¯s dragon and strengthening him with it eased his worries of running low on resources.

    The four Queens kept his stamina stable as his dragons supplied him with the mana. The Jacks and Kings were divided between handling the giant dragon and aiding Sting with Elena. Compared to his match with Zioth, the addition of the pups were making this match even, if not in his odds.

    He directed the other half of Jacks and Kings to deal with the Scaletamer¡¯s familiar as he joined Sting, quickly cutting away the alligator with another Jury slam. He blew up the snakes with a couple of mana nukes, and finally turned his attention to Elena.

    Exertion was plastered on her face as she found herself struggling against Sero and Sting. Her movements were getting slower, and she wasn¡¯t able to block most of their blade strikes. Sero pressed harder, trying to overwhelm her and finish the match quickly. He upped the strength of his Inspiration and Undying Spirit, doing doubled echoing damage with every hit. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    In mere moments, Sero had backed Elena towards the arena wall. Her suit had multiple cuts, and she was bruised and bleeding. She gazed at him with an impressed and nervous look.

    "I¡¯m really surprised," she began as she panted and tried to catch her breath. "I thought you¡¯d be in worse shape after the fight with Zioth."

    "I¡¯m really stubborn," Sero grinned, omitting the fact that it was Kit¡¯s help that he was pretty much back at full strength. "And I¡¯m determined to win. Sorry for this."

    Elena shook her head with a smile. "No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s a tournament after all." She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. When she opened them again, Sero saw a renewed look of determination. "But, I should be the one to apologize."

    Before he could ask her what she meant by that, Elena yelled, sending out a wave of pressure. Sero stood in shock as he copied ¡®Synchronization¡¯, quickly seeing what it could do.

    The giant dragon roared one last time as it dissolved into emerald dust, zooming over to Elena and surrounding her. The smoke coalesced into an aura, which then formed an ethereal green armor with a draconic-like appearance. A pair of giant translucent jade wings sprouted from her back, clawed gauntlets on her hands, and a crown atop her head. The ghostly armor made her look like a queen. Or in this case, the queen of dragons.

    The Synchronization skill gave Elena the combined strength of all her reptilian familiars as well as the ability to conjure spectral apparitions of her summons, which Sero watched firsthand as she became surrounded by an entourage of ghostly reptiles.

    His dragons and face cards appeared by his side, ready to take on the seemingly endless army. Sting glanced at Sero with a slightly worried look.

    "Master, it seems we might be outnumbered."

    "No shit, I can see that."

    Elena pointed at Sero and his summons, yelling a charge command and mobilizing her army forward. Sero had no chance to plan as he trusted his instincts, sending his smaller army to meet them.

    He then deactivated Undying Spirit, casting Fairness instead. He immediately fell to one knee as overwhelming strength flooded through him, but he siphoned the excess to his dragons and Sting, rising back to his feet. The Scaletamer hadn¡¯t flinched, as if she expected him to do so.

    "Goddamn," Sero grimaced as his familiars began clashing with the phantom reptiles. "So this is why she¡¯s an S-rank."

    Elena cracked her knuckles and crouched, pushing off a split second later. If it wasn¡¯t for Sting blocking her swipe in time with her rapier, Sero¡¯s head would¡¯ve been decapitated by those razor sharp claws.

    He cursed and berated himself for thinking he could¡¯ve won the match without difficulty. Regardless of the skills and experience he gained, he forgot to heed Enzo¡¯s words of not getting ahead of himself.

    Conjuring his blade and coating it with mana, Sero moved to help Sting fight back against Elena. Green sparks of magic sprayed the air as the three clashed, neither side willing to give any ground. Sero found his mana quickly draining and knew he had to do something soon, or he¡¯d end up in the same situation with Zioth.

    "Man, this sucks," Sero groaned to himself as he could only come up with one solution. He telepathically communicated his plan to Sting, who moved into position, easing up her attacks so that Elena could land her strikes onto Sero.

    He hissed with pain as Elena¡¯s claws shredded his clothes despite the reinforcing of his Iron Skin. Using Revenge as the last resort felt masochistic, but it was the best thing he could come up with as his summons were being overtaken by Elena¡¯s army. The damage accumulated fast, causing Sero to begin lapsing in his movements, but Sting was there to catch him if he slipped up.

    In mere moments, he was ready to use Revenge, but Elena seemed to have caught on, keeping her distance as she switched to ranged attacks. Even as Sero and Sting drew close, she would either blast them away, or fly up out of their reach.

    Clicking his tongue in irritation, Sero altered his plan, dismissing his face cards and Sting while calling his dragons to him. The ghostly reptilian army immediately moved to surround him, but Sero made a mana cannon and slammed it down, simultaneously casting Blast Zone and Force Field. As his dragons growled and kept the army at bay while Elena pounded on his Force Field, Sero infused a large portion of his mana into his cannon and fired it into the sky.

    The arena was dyed green and his Starfall Nuke began to fall, bombing the ground with earth-shaking explosions. The Scaletamer switched focus, batting away the oncoming nukes as her army was wiped out. Sero cursed, falling to his knees as exhaustion overtook him. He hadn¡¯t been careful in monitoring his status and now it had caught up to him. The lighter colored pup whined and glowed green, slowly restoring his stamina and mana.

    "Thanks." Sero muttered as he patted its head. He got up and dispersed his cannon, watching the last of his Starfall Nuke fall to the ground. Elena stood alone in the midst of the dust, not the least bit bothered by the wide-scale barrage; Sero¡¯s body ached from the damage he had taken.

    The Scaletamer disappeared, only to reappear in front of him and slamming down on his Force Field once again. The green bubble shook with each impact, beginning to fizzle out. The darker pup growled at her, while the lighter kept restoring him. The final details of his plan became clear to him as Sero glanced at his dragons.

    "Sorry for this guys," he muttered to the pups as he gave them a command. "I¡¯ll name you guys later, if we win this."

    Timing Elena¡¯s attack with his Force Field, Sero dropped it as she swung down, causing her to hit nothing and slightly putting her off-balance. In that moment, Sero summoned two Kings and Sting, just to merge with her right after. The sheer power made him drop to his knees, but he wasn¡¯t done, casting Undying Spirit and doubling up on his Inspiration which made him unable to move. His pups barked and leapt forward, clamping their jaws onto Elena. She gasped in surprise, unable to shake them off.

    Sero¡¯s Kings gripped both of his arms and yanked him forward, throwing him headfirst towards Elena. Utter disbelief flashed across her face as Sero hit her abdomen face-first.

    "Oh, her stomach feels really nice and soft." Sero thought to himself as he used the last of his mana to cast Revenge.

    Boosted by Undying Spirit, Sting¡¯s merged power, the doubled Inspiration, and the remnants of Fairness, Sero¡¯s Revenge was the strongest he had ever used, enveloping Elena with a dark, almost black, green aura. She was blasted away at supersonic speed, hitting the arena wall so hard that the protective mana barrier in front of the audience briefly flickered off. A few seconds later, the Revenge went off, sending a massive shockwave that tore up the ground and shut off the barrier a second time.

    If Revenge returned the damage the user had taken, then Sero had sent it back with an almost 8 times multiplier with his buffs, the largest return he had ever done. As he laid face down on the ground, Sero quickly deactivated his buffs and the Kings, casting Recovery with what little mana he had left. His dragons whimpered with concern, the lighter one healing him as best as it could.

    "Oh my¡­ Both fighters are down!" The announcer cried out after the crowd had stopped screaming with fear. "The referee is going to check if either one is still conscious!"

    "I¡¯m conscious!" Sero yelled into the dirt, his words muffled. "Wait, fuck." He commanded his dragons to roll him on his back, facing the sky. The darker one gently bit his hand and raised it up as Sero managed to give a thumbs up. He heard a whistle go off and the darker dragon let go of his hand.

    "Incredible! There you have it, everyone! Sero Kassel the Scholar is still awake!" The audience cheered as medics rushed to Sero¡¯s side. As they worked, he wondered if Kit would be able to use her Cat Paradox on him again.

    "Ah," Sero suddenly remembered. "I wonder if Elena would be willing to give me her autograph for Nala¡­"

 Chapter 46: Pet Care Course Added

    Sero was playing with his dragons as he laid in bed in the arena infirmary. He hadn''t passed out this time, but his body was a wreck from using multiple buffs at once. The lighter green dragon pup had steadily recovered his mana, so that was why he was able to remain conscious. The darker green one had initially protected Sero from the medics, but relented when it understood that they were trying to help him.

    They refused to be called back even as Sero was safely transported to the infirmary and were now happily frolicking on his bed. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that they were basically identical aside from the color of their furs.

    "Hey, did you see that move I made? With the Kings and Sting?" He asked them, grinning proudly. "That was amazing, right?" The darker of the two dragons tilted its head slightly, as if considering his words, before nudging him playfully with its snout. Obviously they couldn''t speak, but it was comforting to know that he wasn''t somewhat alone.

    "Oh, I saw, all right. That was a... unique move, to say the least." Kit suddenly appeared next to him with a grin. "I might have paradoxical skills, but you''re the one who always keeps me guessing."

    "Hey, Kit," Sero grinned back at her. "Well, I''ve been told that''s my best quality."

    The Paradox giggled as she sat down, glancing at the pups. "Oh, they''re so adorable!"

    "Yeah, that''s what people have been saying," Sero watched as the dragons sniffed Kit curiously. "I wasn''t expecting a baby dragon, much less two of them."

    Kit cooed and played with the dragons with glee. "Did you name them?"

    "Yeah," Sero nodded. "It was actually in the heat of battle, too. The darker one is Moss, and the lighter one is Lime."

    Kit giggled as the dragons nuzzled her hands. "They''re really cute. So, Sero... how are you feeling? I heard you nearly took out the arena wall."

    "Technically, Elena almost did, but it was because of me," Sero grinned sheepishly. "My body feels like shit, kinda like after my match with Zioth. Which brings up the point... would you be able to use your Cat Paradox on me?"

    "No," Kit shot him down with an apologetic look. "It worked the first time when people couldn''t really tell how much damage you took, but if I do it again, you''d have to avoid people because they''d think something was up from the way you exerted yourself. Not to mention, if you''re consciously aware that people think you''re in bad shape, then it''ll wear off regardless."

    Sero groaned, lying back on the bed. "I forgot about that."

    "Anyway," Kit scooped up Moss into her arms, causing Lime to bark with jealousy. "You''ve made it to the finals!"

    "Yeah," Sero grinned weakly. "I can''t believe it. I''m going to have to fight against Liam, aren''t I?"

    Kit nodded, then paused for a moment. "At first glance, Liam and Enzo seem really similar, but there''s a clear difference between them."

    "And that is?" Lime huffed in frustration and bounded back to Sero, butting its head against his face.

    "They''re both brutal and merciless, willing to win whatever it takes. But, Liam has a much shorter fuse, mostly because of his inferiority complex he has against his brother." Kit became crestfallen. "It''s strange, though. Enzo loves his brother despite how he acts, but Liam can''t see it because of how much people compare him and Enzo."

    "And that''s what makes him dangerous," Sero added, rubbing Lime''s head. "He''s got nothing to lose, and he''s desperate to prove himself. I''m going to have to be careful." He remembered the savage beatdown Eshe and Raul received, causing his anger to rise. Lime whined with concern, sensing his emotions. Moss wriggled out of Kit''s arms and joined Lime in comforting Sero.

    "Sorry, but that''s so cute I can''t take it," Kit quietly cooed. "The way that they''re soothing you."

    Sero sighed as he petted the dragons, feeling his anger dissipate. "Do you think I have a chance of winning?"

    Kit made a face. "It''s hard to say. Your rapid growth is the talk of the nation right now, but Liam has been fighting for a very long time, not to mention his status as a top S-rank is nothing to scoff at. His skillset is very similar to Enzo''s too, so you might have some difficulty with that."

    "Ugh," Sero grumbled, feeling disheartened for his upcoming match. "What do you suggest I do?"

    The Paradox shrugged. "Honestly? Just do your best. You''ve already seen most of what Liam can do, so there''s really not any other surprises in store."

    "But what if I can''t beat him? What if I lose?" Sero''s voice was shaking, uncertainty beginning to creep into his heart.

    "Hey, it''ll be ok, my little bookworm," Kit purred comfortingly as she stroked his arm. "I know you''ll do well."

    While it didn''t completely erase his anxiety, Sero was glad that Kit didn''t feed him empty words. He sighed and shook his head, feeling his Rationality activate.

    "Ok, moving on. Do you know where Elena is recovering at? I wanna see her."

    Kit blinked and drew back in surprise, a hint of jealousy and irritation flickering in her mismatched eyes. "Why?"Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    "I wanted to see if I could get her autograph," Sero replied quickly. "For Nala."

    "Oh." The Paradox relaxed and placed a hand on his arm. "That''s fine. I can teleport us there."

    "Thanks-" Before Sero could finish, his world blurred for a moment. He suddenly found himself standing in a different infirmary room, next to a bed where Elena was resting.

    "We''re here!" Kit grinned at him happily. Sero fought the urge to vomit as he leaned on Elena¡¯s bed.

    "Can you... warn me... next time?" He gritted out as he attempted to get his bearings. The Paradox stuck her tongue out playfully.

    "Sero? Kit? What are you guys doing here?" Elena asked, slightly confused.

    "My little bookworm here wants to know if you''d be willing to give him your autograph." Kit smiled as she nudged Sero off-balance.

    "Oh, uh..." Elena glanced at Sero, then back at Kit. "Sure, I guess." She yawned and sat up a little, rubbing her eyes. "But I''m really tired, so make it quick."

    Sero fumbled around for some pen and paper, still a bit disoriented. As he grabbed a napkin and a pen, there was a sudden chorus of barking. Moss and Lime burst into the room, making a beeline towards Sero and tackling him to the ground as they chirped happily.

    "Oof!" Sero grunted painfully as he fell. He wasn''t completely recovered yet, and the teleport had left a smudge of nausea. His pups licked his face and bounced all over his body, their claws sharp as they dug into him. "Hey, hey, easy!"

    Elena squealed with delight upon seeing the dragons, apparently not tired anymore. "Oh my god, your dragons! Can I play with them?"

    Moss and Lime barked and chirped happily, clearly pleased to have someone new to interact with. They crawled over Sero, letting Elena pet them and scratch their bellies. The room was filled with the sounds of laughter and cat-like purring as the dragons enjoyed the attention. Kit, amused, leaned against the wall and watched the scene unfold.

    "Do they have names?" The Scaletamer asked.

    "Yeah," Sero clambered back to his feet gingerly. "Darker one''s Moss, and the lighter one''s Lime."

    The dragons seemed to know their names as they both perked up and looked at Sero. Moss nuzzled into Elena''s palm, while Lime climbed onto her shoulder, curling up to rest there. The two dragons seemed to like Elena, and she giggled as they played with her.

    "Moss and Lime? Why?"

    "Ah, well, half of the reason is because of their coloring. Moss; because the way it absorbed the attacks reminded me of a sponge. And Lime was because of how your dragon reacted when it sapped its strength, like it had eaten something sour."

    "Hmm... fitting, I suppose." Elena murmured with a small smile, then glanced at him. "Do you know that they''re girls? And twins, at that."

    "Really?" Sero''s eyes widened in surprise. "I didn''t know that." He scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Well, I''m glad you told me. I''ll have to take better care of them, then."

    Elena chuckled. "It''s understandable. For those who don''t have much experience with dragons, it is rather difficult to tell their gender. That aside, I know you copied my other summons. Did you get the chance to call them forth as well?"

    "No," Sero shook his head. "I¡¯m kinda scared they might be massive."

    "Actually," Elena chuckled again. "They have a greater chance to be infants just like these pups." She scratched their chins, causing them to purr louder. "That¡¯s how it was when I first summoned Jawlock, my dragon. He was so miniature and ridiculously adorable."

    "Wait, the apocalypse was a little over a year ago¡­ how fast do they grow?" Sero gazed at Moss and Lime, feeling a slight sense of panic mixed with awe.

    "Well, while they do grow quickly," The Scaletamer gave a small smile. "At some rate, they acquire the ability to change their size at will, so there¡¯s no reason to fear if that¡¯s what you were worried about."

    To prove her point, Elena snapped her fingers, causing a small green portal to appear in front of her. Moss and Lime tilted their heads curiously at the portal. Sero heard a low but tiny growl, followed by a mini version of Elena¡¯s dragon popping out from the portal. The emerald dragon roared, sounding like a rather quiet car engine.

    Sero¡¯s pups growled, but soon began to play with Elena¡¯s Jawlock. The Scaletamer watched the three familiars with delight.

    "As you can see, Jawlock is an adult dragon, but he was able to resize himself so that he didn¡¯t completely obliterate the arena infirmary. I believe that your dragons will be able to reach that level in a couple of months or so."

    "Thanks," Sero hesitated. "Do I¡­ feed them like regular pets? Or how would I be able to take care of them?"

    "Well, it¡¯s a bit complicated to explain, but familiars and the like of the Summoner¡¯s class usually don¡¯t require more than mana from the caster to grow and sustain themselves. However, animalistic and humanoid summons do enjoy things that we do, so it¡¯s not a stretch to say that their quality of life wouldn¡¯t improve if you incorporate those elements into their growth."

    Sero nodded, relieved, then remembered what he was here to do. "If I could get that autograph..." he mumbled, handing Elena the napkin and pen.

    Elena glanced at the napkin and took it, scribbling something on it. "Here you go, Sero. And thank you for letting me meet your dragons." She handed the napkin back to him. "Congratulations on the win as well. You proved more than a match for me."

    Sero took the napkin, glancing at Elena''s signature. "Thanks... I mean, no, thank you." He smiled awkwardly. "Well, I should get going. It''s getting late." With that, he started to make his way out of the room, his pups trotting after him.

    "Sero?" He turned back around.

    "Be careful," Elena said quietly. "Liam will be a much scarier opponent than I was."

    "Right. Thanks." Sero swallowed as he left, Kit following suit.

    As they came out into the hallway, Kit gave him a side glance. "Do you realize what the implications of you winning your match is?" She asked as if trying to lighten the mood.

    "Um, not really," Sero said, scratching his head. "I mean, I''m just glad I didn''t lose."

    Kit flashed a wide smile. "Think about it. You, an A-rank, defeating a very powerful S-rank."

    "Oh. Right. That''s kinda cool, I guess." Sero still didn''t get where she was going with it.

    The Paradox''s smile faded as she looked at him with exasperation. "Do you really not understand the importance of you being an A-rank defeating an S-rank?"

    Sero shook his head, still confused. "No, not really. I mean, I guess it''s impressive or something? But I don''t know what it means for me, or for anyone else."

    "For a Scholar, you''re really slow on the uptake," Kit sighed to herself. "Ok, well, you winning means that you qualify for an S-rank promotion."

    Sero stopped walking, his dragons halting beside him. He turned to Kit with a wide-eyed gaze. "Wait, does that mean that-"

    "Finally," Kit''s smile returned. "Yeah, that means you technically can be considered an S-rank now."

 Chapter 47: Loose Ends

    The sun was beginning to set as Sero got the clear to be discharged from the infirmary, teleporting to his father''s hospital with Kit. His dragons, exhausted from fighting and playing all day, allowed themselves to be recalled. Sero himself felt a lot better, though the teleport caused him to feel queasy after.

    The pair walked to Tiero''s room, when Casey popped out the door with a huge smile as if he had sensed the two coming.

    "Mr. Sero! I saw your match!"

    "Hey, Casey," Sero grinned back at the boy. "What¡¯d you think?"

    "It was amazing!" Casey exclaimed, bouncing on his heels. "You were so cool out there, using magic and everything! And your dragons were awesome too!"

    Sero chuckled, ruffling the boy''s hair. "Thanks, buddy."

    Kit smirked at the pair, her gaze flickering between them. All three then entered the room, where Sero''s father was conversing with Amaya and Nala.

    "Son!" Tiero beamed as he saw him. "Your match was incredible! Going into the finals now, huh?"

    "Yeah," Sero sat down next to Nala. "If I''m being honest, I''m a little nervous."

    "Don''t worry," Tiero reassured him. "You''ve got this. And hey, even if you don''t, it''s not the end of the world. You''ve made me so proud just by getting this far." He reached over and patted Sero''s shoulder.

    A lump formed in Sero''s throat. Despite hearing more of his father''s encouragement, he was still caught off guard by it. He swallowed hard, attempting to smile.

    "Thanks, Dad." He turned to Nala and pulled out Elena''s autograph. "Remember the bet we made?"

    Nala gasped quietly as she took the napkin from him. "Is this... real?"

    "Yeah, you can ask Kit if you don¡¯t believe me. I went to Elena''s room and got her autograph."

    The Shadereaper gazed at the napkin with reverence, like she couldn¡¯t believe she was actually holding a signature from her role model. Nala shot Sero a look of thanks.

    "Wow, I can¡¯t believe that you actually got her autograph," Amaya said, impressed. "Does that mean that Nala has to be your servant for a week?"

    At the mention of the bet, Nala stiffened, apparently forgetting about the deal she made with Sero prior to the tournament. She warily gazed at him, who licked his lips with a smirk.

    "Well, I would like to hope she honors that. I got beaten up by dragons and reptiles to get it," he laughed. As if it were a trigger, there was a sudden pair of chirping and a few seconds later, Moss and Lime appeared out of nowhere. Everyone gasped at their sudden appearance.

    "Sero, are these the same dragons you summoned against Elena?" Amaya breathed in disbelief. The pups bounced around the room, going from person to person and sniffing them curiously. Casey giggled and clapped his hands happily as he trailed after the pups.

    "Yup," Sero let out an amused snort. "I wasn¡¯t expecting them to be babies, so you can imagine the panic I was feeling when they came out for the first time."

    "Aww, they¡¯re cute." Nala smiled softly as Lime leapt into her lap. Moss crawled up to Tiero, sniffing him intently. The pup seemed to sense his weakened condition, whining as she lapped at his fingers.

    "Son¡­ you are incredible¡­" Tiero murmured as he watched Moss crawl all over him. "To think I¡¯d live to see the day where actual dragons were real."

    Sero said nothing as he watched his dragons play with his friends and father. Tiero¡¯s words left him thinking about the recent events, and how fast he had grown, not to mention how strangely quick Sero had adapted to the world. He figured his Rationality probably had a large part in helping with his assimilation.

    "Would you feel more at ease if you weren¡¯t so calm about this?" Aphiel spoke in his mind.

    "Were you eavesdropping on my thoughts?"

    "...Apologies, champion. I couldn''t help but overhear your worries."

    "It''s fine." Sero sighed quietly to himself. "What do you mean by what you asked earlier?"

    "Well, you ascended as a Scholar mostly in part because it fit your personality the best. However, to be blunt, there are others who are more suited for the class than you are."

    "Ok...?" Sero immediately felt a rush of irritation.

    "But, there is a reason why you are the only Scholar!" Aphiel continued quickly. "Even as a goddess, the reasoning of the world still eludes me, but you were chosen specifically to fulfill the role of a Scholar."

    "What... does that even mean?"

    "It''s quite literally proven through how far you''ve grown to this point. If it were anyone else, they would not have been able to copy and utilize so many skills from other champions, not to mention defeat an opponent that would otherwise be several times stronger than them."

    Sero considered Aphiel''s words. It was true that he had copied and adapted skills from other champions. It wasn''t just that though, it was his ability to think, to reason, that made him unique. He was able to look at a problem from multiple angles and find the best solution. Admittedly, the best solution he found for each match was to kamikaze through Revenge, but the way he executed the finisher did merit some achievement.

    "If you had ascended as any other class, I highly doubt you''d have taken this all in stride. You were able to deal with the fact that you were dead, right? Not to mention that was before you even came back to Earth. That alone was more than enough for whatever higher being had decided to bestow the Scholar class upon you."

    "Where are you going with this?"

    "Perhaps I wanted to reassure you since I sensed how concerned you felt over the effects of your Rationality passive. It may not seem normal to be so calm when you usually should, but it''s not necessarily a bad thing." This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Sero mulled over her words for a moment, seeing some comfort in her words. He supposed he should be grateful for whatever higher being had seen fit to bestow upon him the Scholar class. It had been a trial by fire, but he had survived and even thrived. And as much as he didn''t like to admit it, he did enjoy learning and adapting to new situations. It was part of what made him who he was.

    Before he could respond to the goddess, his pups suddenly growled. Moss turned to the door, baring her teeth as Lime hopped out of Nala''s arms.

    As Dr. Malek entered, Nala quickly reacted, sending out shadowy ropes that wrapped around Lime before she hit the floor. Amaya followed suit, casting a blue cage-like prison around Moss. Sero''s body buzzed as he copied Nala''s ''Shadow Bind'' and Amaya''s ''Mana Lock'' skill.

    "Ah, we have so many visitors here," Dr. Malek remarked with surprise before he noticed the growling dragons. "It seems that these two aren''t very fond of me."

    "Dr. Malek," Sero stood up, forcefully recalling his dragons. "Sorry about that. My dragons don''t usually act that hostile."

    "It''s quite alright," the doctor smiled warmly. "They must have smelled the Grim Reaper on me."

    It seemed as if everyone was slightly confused or shocked at his words as the doctor offered a sheepish smile.

    "Sorry, I just had a patient leave us today," Dr. Malek began, casting a pointed glance at Casey. "And I learned a bit about mythical creatures to know that dragons have a sixth sense for certain things."

    "Ah, right," Sero nodded, recalling the way Moss comforted his father.

    "Anyway, I came in to check on Mr. Kassel here," Dr. Malek smiled at Tiero as he flipped through his charts. "The surgery was a success, but just to be sure that there are no issues, I just wanted to ask how you''re feeling?"

    "I feel... strange," Tiero said, blinking. "Like I should be feeling worse, but... I don''t?"

    The doctor frowned, clearly troubled, but his face softened after a moment. "Well, there will always be strange side effects with unique operations such as this, but in terms of issues, I''d say this is more in the best case scenario. You''re here and seemingly healthy, so that''s a good start."

    As Dr. Malek continued to examine Tiero, Sero turned to Nala and Amaya.

    "Thanks for sticking with my dad," he quietly whispered. "And just being here for him. It means a lot." The women nodded back in acknowledgement.

    Sero smiled at them both before glancing back at the doctor and Tiero. As the conversation between them continued, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief. It was a strange feeling, considering that just a few days ago, he had been preparing for the worst. But now, with his father''s condition improving and the doctor''s positive outlook, he allowed himself to hope. Maybe things were going to be alright after all.

    "Well, we''ll be running more tests in the upcoming days, just to be sure that Mr. Kassel won''t be having any issues in the future," Dr. Malek finished checking Tiero as he scribbled on his clipboard. "As soon as you''re cleared, you''re free to leave."

    "Thank you, Doctor." Tiero smiled at him, then to Sero. "I can''t wait to spend more time with my son."

    Sero kept his face even, returning his father''s smile. Dr. Malek waved to everyone before leaving the room.

    <hr>

    Spending a few more hours with everyone before excusing himself home, Sero wanted to be left alone. Amaya offered to drive him back, but he declined, making up an excuse that he was going to do some last minute training with Enzo.

    Night had fallen when Sero began to walk back to his penthouse, his mind swirling with thoughts. Normally, he would have discussed his feelings with Aphiel, but this time around, he wanted to keep them private to himself.

    Sero trekked through the brightly lit streets of the city, barely registering the bustling life of pedestrians as they went about their lives, unaware of the turmoil brewing within the Scholar.

    First and foremost was the upcoming match against Liam tomorrow. While Sero wasn¡¯t confident he would win, there was also a part of him that was fired up at the chance to knock down the Demonic Enforcer a couple of pegs. In a way, it was almost ironic, since Sero himself could begrudgingly relate to Liam¡¯s attitude had it been the Sero a couple of weeks ago.

    The second thing on his mind were the feelings regarding his father. Truthfully, he was relieved and grateful that Tiero was still alive, yet the guilt, regret, and anger he harbored was difficult to simply let go of. Sero did see a point where he¡¯d be able to forgive and forget, but that wasn¡¯t going to happen any time soon. At least he didn¡¯t have to worry about his father disappearing from his life again.

    The last thing on his mind was what he wanted to do after the tournament, after everything had been settled. Guilds and other organizations had been blowing his phone up incessantly, to the point where he had to silence notifications. After copying so many skills, Sero definitely felt closer to living his dream of a comfortable life, especially with his new penthouse and influx of gold, but there was a small part of him that strived for more. A piece of him that had been nurtured by his mother, before he lost her.

    Lost within his worries, Sero didn¡¯t notice the woman barreling towards him until they collided. With a grunt, he reacted quickly, grabbing onto her as they crashed to the ground. Sero hit the concrete hard, feeling the wind get knocked out from him.

    "Oof!" Sero groaned, his arms wrapped tightly around the woman.

    "S-sorry!"

    The woman scrambled to her feet, a vexing expression on her face. With a start, Sero felt like he knew her. Or at least, someone that resembled her.

    With long, silky straight black hair, pale skin, and a tiny mole under the corner of her left eye, the woman was very attractive. Her strikingly vivid orange eyes were filled with panic as she gave an apologetic look down at Sero. She was dressed in a black outfit, a long-sleeved sweater and leggings, which was a strange ensemble to be wearing in the warm weather. Her hair brushed back against the breeze, revealing a pair of subtly pointed ears, reminding Sero of an elf. Or in this case-

    "You¡¯re a succubus."

    Sero quickly jumped to his feet as he faced the woman. Upon hearing his words, the woman shrank back fearfully, a black tail swishing behind her nervously.

    "N-no, I¡¯m not, I¡¯m just-"

    Sero conjured his blade, coating it with green mana as he prepared to hunt her. The woman yelped with fear, her eyes glowing bright orange.

    A wave of desire suddenly washed over him, making his heart race and his skin tingle. He found himself attracted to the woman, almost as if he would do anything for her just to be in her presence. Her very being felt like a warm, seductive blanket, casting a hazy cloud over his mind.

    His Rationality immediately kicked in, dispersing the effects of the woman¡¯s charm. She gasped in shock, quickly turning to run away. Sero reached out, casting Shadow Bind and wrapping her in dark tendrils that tripped her. He moved forward, priming his blade to run straight through her.

    "Wait!" The succubus pleaded. "I mean you no harm! I haven¡¯t done anything wrong!"

    "Nice try," Sero muttered, raising his blade.

    "Ok, I did steal your gold, but that¡¯s about all I did! Honest! I haven¡¯t hurt anyone else, I just wanted to live a quiet life!"

    Sero halted his hand. The succubus¡¯s words seemed to trigger Sero¡¯s memory.

    "Wait," he lowered his sword. "At the succubi outbreak¡­ that was you? The one who took my gold?"

    "Yes! I¡¯ll pay you back, so please don¡¯t kill me! And please let me go, I can¡¯t afford to be caught by them!"

    Sero blinked in confusion. "By who?"

    "Hey, isn¡¯t that the Scholar from the tournament?"

    A masculine voice caused Sero to whirl around, finding a pair of masked figures stalking towards him. He became aware of how empty the street suddenly was, devoid of any other witnesses.

    The two figures were cloaked in black, their simple masks revealing only the color of their eyes. Both of them brandished a gleaming short sword, one coated in dark red mana and the other dark blue. Sero sensed a considerable amount of mana between the two, placing them around the strength of an A-rank. At first, he thought they were Vultures, but the sinister vibes they gave off matched the description of a certain organization he had learned about.

    "Champion, those two seem to have a contract with an evil god!"

    "So these guys are part of Culling, huh?" Sero switched his focus to the two newcomers, who glanced at each other.

    "Seems like he knows about us." One of the masked figures said to the other.

    "Our orders were to capture the succubus, but there was nothing against the Scholar." The other masked figure had a feminine voice.

    "Well, with the barrier up, we can do as we please. Besides, it¡¯s not like the odds were in his favor against Liam. We¡¯re good to kill him, right?"

    "Yes."

    The masked figures pointed their weapons at Sero, preparing to charge.

 Chapter 48: A Strange Deal

    Strangely, it was almost therapeutic for Sero as his instincts took over, casting his usual skill rotation as he braced himself to fight. Before he was revived on Earth, Sero had never been in a real fight, but now that he had a packed month¡¯s worth of battle experience, it seemed second nature to him.

    His Rationality calmed his nerves as his Perfect Analysis scanned his targets. The Culling members seemed slightly on guard, as if they knew not to underestimate him, but were confident that they could win. That didn¡¯t sit well with Sero though, causing him to feel a surge of annoyance at their lax nature. The cherry on top were their words of his guaranteed defeat at the hands of Liam.

    The taller and bulkier of the two Culling members acted first, running towards Sero as his body became empowered with a noticeably corrupted energy. Sero conjured a playing card and threw it at the man, snapping his fingers as soon as it left his hands. Sting burst forth, meeting the man in a clash of blades as Moss and Lime growled out of their portals.

    The woman had moved immediately after her partner, but Sero was one step ahead, launching a flurry of slashes and jabs with his blade as his pups provided support. Individually, the Culling members were weaker than he was, and he soon overwhelmed the woman using a combination of reverberating mana impacts from Resonating Spirit and a couple of nukes.

    As he wrapped the woman in his Shadow Bind, he heard a pained cry from behind. Sero whirled around, ready to assist Sting but found that she had defeated the man and had plunged her rapier through his arm straight into the ground, pinning him on the other arm by standing on top.

    "Goddamn," Sero muttered, admiring Sting''s skill and ferocity. "I didn''t think you had it in you." The two of them looked at each other for a moment, sharing a silent understanding of the situation they were in.

    Figuring that the woman was secure, Sero stationed his pups to watch guard over her. He glanced over at the succubus, who was still wrapped in his Shadow Bind as well, though she struggled to break free, a terrified look in her eyes. Sero conjured a King of Clubs card, throwing at the succubus as the familiar burst forth.

    In the back of his mind, Sero couldn''t help but feel a sense of pride at how dominant he''d be at subduing the threats, but he pushed it aside for now. He jogged over to Sting and the man, who glared at the two with a spiteful hate.

    "Let''s make this short," Sero began, conjuring his blade and pointing it at the man''s neck. "I know you''re Culling. What do you plan to do at the tournament?"

    The man simply stared back, keeping quiet. Sero sighed, pressing the tip of his blade into the man''s neck, drawing a bead of blood.

    "Talk, or I run this through your neck." Sero threatened, applying a tiny bit more pressure.

    The man laughed, a cruel and harsh sound. "You wouldn''t dare. You know what happens to those who fail the Culling, as well as those who oppose it."

    "Actually, I don''t," Sero licked his lips. "But, I assume you guys are beaten up or something? I don''t really care. Just tell me what you plan on doing at the tournament, and I''ll let you live."

    The man laughed humorlessly again, looking into Sero''s eyes as if he was sizing him up. "You''re no one. You''re just a tool. A puppet. Nothing more." He paused for a moment, as if considering his next words. "We have our own plans for the tournament. Plans that don''t involve you or your little group." He smirked, a cruel expression that seemed almost mocking. "And you''re right. If we fail, we''re nothing more than a cautionary tale. But if we succeed... when we succeed, then the world will be ours."

    "What do you mean by that? Who said I was working with a group?" Sero pressed the tip of his blade deeper into the man''s neck.

    Instead of panicking or pleading for his life, the man chuckled. "Those to be culled, have failed to devote," he chanted, his dark eyes glowing with a sinister energy.

    "The fuck are you talking about-"

    Sero realized too late as the man''s body surged with magic and exploded in a cloud of black flames. If it weren''t for Sting pushing him out the way, he would''ve been charred to a crisp from the attack.

    Learning what had just happened, Sero regained his balance and turned around, running towards the woman.

    "Those to be culled, have failed to devote."

    "No, fuck!" Sero issued a command to Moss ordering her to absorb the attack, but the woman had already imploded in a black inferno. He felt a surge of anger and fear course through him as he turned to Sting. "What the hell was that about? Did they just blow themselves up?"

    Sting blinked and nodded. "It would appear so, Master. The Culling seems to treat those who have failed them as dispensable."

    Sero swore loudly and turned to the succubus, who had given up on escaping the shadowy ropes and instead was trying to inch away like a worm. A pressure lifted off of Sero''s shoulders and he noticed civilians suddenly appear around them.

    "Oh, shit," Sero thought to himself, realizing that the barrier the Culling members had talked about probably prevented other people from seeing what happened inside. "Sting, grab the succubus. We need to get to my place," he commanded as he dissolved into shadows and slipped away, shocked cries beginning to ring in the night.

    <hr>

    Later at his penthouse, Sero stood with his arms folded in front of the still-bound succubus who sat on a chair. He had recalled Sting and his dragons, but kept a King of Clubs out as a guard. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    The succubus nervously flicked her orange eyes between him and the King, straining against her Shadow Binds.

    "First off, you seem different from other stray monsters that lurk after outbreaks. Why is that?" Sero asked her.

    The succubus hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I am... I was sent out by my mistress, to conquer this world for our kind." She paused, seeming to choose her words carefully. "But when I saw what you and your kind were doing... who you were... I realized that perhaps I was in the wrong. My mistress is cruel and uncaring. You, on the other hand, seem to care for your kind." Her orange eyes flickered up to meet his gaze. "I wish to defect. To join your cause, if you''ll have me."

    Sero blinked in surprise. He already knew that succubi were well-spoken, but he figured that they were just like other monsters that came through the outbreaks, solely focused on the goal of wreaking havoc and the like. But hearing the succubus''s words just now made him rethink everything he knew about the invaders. Were some monsters of the same mind as this creature?

    "You mentioned that you haven''t done any harm," Sero continued, unsure if he trusted her words. "And that you wanted to live a peaceful life. What did you mean by that?"

    The succubus smiled softly. "I wish to live as a normal person, free from the burdens of my kind''s cruel ways. I want to make up for the harm I''ve done, to help those who have been hurt by my kind." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "And... I find your presence, your strength... I find it attractive. You''re nothing like any other man I''ve ever met."

    Sero held up a hand. "Don''t do that, your queen already taught me I''m ugly to look at."

    The succubus smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. It was worth a shot. But, I did mean everything I said prior."

    Sero scowled. "Ok, but why?"

    "Because," the succubus began, "I know what it''s like to be used and manipulated. To be nothing more than a tool for someone else''s gain. I want to make amends for that. And," she hesitated, "I think you and your kind are on the right path. You care for each other, you fight for your world. I want to be a part of that."

    "Well, not all of us do that, but I see your point," Sero slowly replied. "But how can I believe what you''re saying?"

    The succubus paused for a moment before bowing her head. "My name is Luna," she said softly. "If you''ll allow me, I''ll prove my loyalty to you and your cause. I''ll help you any way I can. I know I can''t undo the damage I''ve done, but perhaps I can make a difference, starting now."

    Sero studied her for a moment, her sincerity seeming genuine. No doubt, she was very attractive, but he was wary of trusting her completely. He couldn''t just ignore the threat she represented, even if she claimed to have changed her ways. He needed time to think, and to discuss this with the others.

    He sighed, flicking a hand and dispersing the shadow chains that restricted her. "Fine, I''ll trust you for now. But, I''ll be keeping a watch on you. Step out of line, and I won''t hesitate to kill you."

    Luna bowed her head in understanding. "I understand. Thank you for giving me this chance."

    Sero grimaced. "So, have you been living alone or something? You''ve been keeping a low profile from what I''m guessing, right?"

    Luna nodded. "Yes, I''ve been living in the shadows for several weeks now. I''ve avoided contact with any other monsters, and I''ve been trying to blend in with your kind as much as possible." She glanced around at Sero''s luxurious penthouse. "It hasn''t been easy, but I think I''ve managed it."

    "It is impressive," Sero admitted. "But onto the bigger question: Why were those Culling members after you?"

    Luna hesitated before speaking. "I believe it was because of my past actions," she said quietly. "As I said earlier, I was once used as a tool by my queen to manipulate others. There were... incidents where people died as a result of my influence. It''s possible that the Culling members are wanting to use my power for that purpose."

    "Huh," Sero grunted, obviously thinking. "So, that''s what this is all about. Well, I guess we can''t have that. We''ll keep you safe, for now."

    Luna gazed at Sero curiously. "How?"

    "Stay here," Sero made a face. "Try not to go out as much. I''ll figure something out after the conclusion of the tournament tomorrow."

    Luna nodded, understanding. "Thank you, Sero. I''m grateful for your trust and your help. I''ll do whatever I can to repay you."

    <hr>

    Shortly after, Sero laid on the couch in his living room, unable to sleep while Luna took his bed in the other room. He knew he should rest before his match against Liam, but the recent events of the night weighed heavily on his mind. He certainly wasn''t expecting to run into succubus who stole his gold, and definitely not members of the Culling in one go.

    "Ah," Sero mumbled, reestablishing the connection with Aphiel in his thoughts. He figured that she might have some insight over everything that happened.

    "Aphiel?"

    "Oh, there you are, champion. I was growing worried after I couldn¡¯t see what you were up to after you left the hospital."

    "Yeah¡­ about that," Sero began, recounting the events up until now. After he finished, Aphiel was silent for a while.

    "Are you sure you weren¡¯t bewitched?" She finally said.

    "Yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure," Sero thought back. "My Rationality kicked in right after she tried to charm me."

    "So you just blindly trusted her?"

    "I sensed no malice or evil intent from her. Not to mention she didn¡¯t try anything after I freed her. Besides, she was being chased by members of Culling. ¡®An enemy of the enemy is my friend¡¯ or something like that, right?"

    "That¡¯s¡­ right." Aphiel admitted. "But still, you''re not the least bit cautious about her?"

    "I am, but what else can I do? I¡¯m more worried about my match tomorrow than some succubus who stole my gold. At any rate, it also seems like she¡¯s not hostile to humans, otherwise I¡¯d be hearing about it."

    Aphiel sighed in his thoughts. "Ok. I¡¯ll support your judgment, but don¡¯t blame me if things go wrong."

    "I won¡¯t. Night, Aphiel."

    "Good night, champion."

 Chapter 49: The Final Exam - Part 1

    Finally, the next day arrived. Sero barely noticed the crowd outside his penthouse or the swarms of people heading towards the arena as Amaya tried her best to maneuver around them. The liaison could sense Sero''s mental state and wisely left him alone. Not that he could really open up to her about what was on his mind, or what had happened last night.

    Before he left, he made Luna swear to stay at his place, or at the very least keep low while he was out. After that, Sero''s mind whirled with thoughts and worries. He was so distracted that he hadn''t realized he had ended up in the waiting room, where Liam had already arrived.

    As soon as the Demonic Enforcer saw him, his red eyes narrowed, a slight disdain in his gaze. Liam''s look shook Sero out of his autopilot as he steeled himself.

    "You really showed. That means you''re prepared for what comes next, right?"

    "Yeah. My victory." Sero blurted without thinking once again.

    Liam''s eyes twitched before he gave a small, cold smile. "I''m going to enjoy this."

    The tension in the air was thick, so much so that a couple of the officials stepped forward, ready to break them apart if it came down to it. But Sero backed away first, sitting near the entrance to the arena as Liam took a seat in the center of the waiting room.

    "You two, make any preparations now," The man with the scar below his eye hesitantly began. "The match will begin in an hour."

    Sero nodded, his focus back on the impending fight. He had been too distracted by everything else, and now he needed to clear his head. He began to meditate, focusing on his breathing and his senses, trying to center himself. As he did so, he felt his Rationality calming his mind, soothing his rage and anxiety. He could feel the energy flowing through his body, ready to be unleashed in the arena.

    He hadn''t rested very well, but he felt fully prepared for his match against Liam nevertheless. His father had pulled through, and now it was Sero''s turn to fulfill his part. Millions of strategies ran through his mind, some he had thought of the moment he saw Liam on the first day of the tournament and some he formulated now.

    As time passed, Sero recalled each and every sensation of all the fights he had been through, repeating moves and skills in his mind. Subduing the two Culling members had boosted his ego, but he kept Enzo''s words at the forefront of his thoughts to humble himself. The matches he saw Liam fight in never saw the Demonic Enforcer seriously injured, so there was a good chance that he was much stronger than what was shown.

    "Sero Kassel, Liam. Please step forward and enter the arena."

    Snapping back to reality, Sero stood up, taking a deep breath as he entered first. Half-expecting Kit to be waiting for him, she was once again absent as another official escorted him to the arena grounds.

    <hr>

    High up in the skybox, Enzo leaned back in his seat as he crossed a leg. Gregor had given him the day off for obvious reasons, bringing Max with him instead. Cassandra sat next to him, a soft smile on her face. Despite having known her for almost a year, Enzo still couldn''t tell if she was ''all there'' or not.

    The Demonic Judge watched on as the crowd cheered, seeing the final two contestants walk onto the arena after the announcer introduced them in.

    "Oh? This is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen you watch a match in person," Kit popped up out of nowhere. "Is it because of your student and your brother?"

    "Shouldn¡¯t you be patrolling the perimeters?" Enzo scowled as he opened a can of beer.

    Kit stuck her tongue out playfully. "You know I can do that even if I¡¯m here."

    "Whatever. You didn¡¯t go see him off?"

    "I wanted to," Kit admitted with a wry smile. "But I didn¡¯t want to say anything that would make him second guess himself." She pulled her feet up onto the seat and wrapped her arms around her knees. "So, who do you think will win today?"

    "Hard to tell," Enzo sipped his drink. "He¡¯s really strong, but I have a feeling that he might lose this match."

    "Oh? Why do you think that?" Cassandra leaned forward to join in on their conversation, her eyes suddenly present. Kit made a face, but decided not to voice her displeasure.

    The Demonic Judge growled to himself, choosing his words carefully. "He gets ahead of himself way too easily, even though I keep warning him not to. Not to mention he¡¯s going up against someone whose strength could one day surpass mine. Honestly, I¡¯d be surprised if he won this match."

    "Aww," Kit looked crestfallen. "You really think Sero will lose, then?"

    Enzo turned to her with a slightly confused look. "Sero? I was talking about my brother."

    <hr>

    "Do you both understand?" Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Instead of a singular referee, there were three; two men and a woman. Sero figured they upped the staff due to the rising concern of the output of his skills along with Liam¡¯s brutality.

    Both he and the Demonic Enforcer nodded slightly, keeping their glares locked on each other. The three referees cautiously watched them for a moment before they jogged off, signaling for the match to begin.

    Sero turned and walked a few paces away, facing back towards Liam. His opponent narrowed his eyes, watching him with a cold sneer. Liam made no move to get into position, his body still relaxed with his hands in his hoodie pockets. Sero tensed his body a little, preparing himself.

    "5... 4... 3... 2... 1!"

    Straying off his usual rotation, Sero only activated his efficiencies and Inspiration, focusing all his concentration into Perfect Analysis. He conjured a playing card and threw it at Liam, summoning Sting.

    "Attacking first? You¡¯re confident." The Demonic Enforcer raised an eyebrow and pulled a hand out from his pockets to summon his Order staff. Sero¡¯s body buzzed as he copied the skill, learning that the heavy weapon had the same conditions as the Jury axe.

    Sting clashed with Liam, but was quickly defeated as Sero purposefully didn¡¯t strengthen her. However, he did summon two Jacks and a Queen while Liam was distracted, causing the Demonic Enforcer to go on the defensive and block both close and ranged attacks.

    Liam¡¯s face twitched in annoyance and his red eyes glowed as he blocked their attacks with ease. Immediately after Sero copied the Pacify skill, he recalled his familiars.

    The Demonic Enforcer swung his staff around, slamming it down vertically and gazing at Sero, a look of confusion mixed with irritation. "What the fuck are you trying to do?"

    Sero licked his lips and smiled. He had tested the waters by sending his familiars and realized that Liam¡¯s reaction speed was unfathomably quick, even faster than his Perfect Analysis could keep up with. His mana pool was like an ocean, and the pressure he exerted reminded him of Enzo¡¯s. Even while preoccupied with his familiars, Liam kept a portion of his attention on Sero, leaving no openings to exploit. Essentially, Sero was outclassed in every way possible.

    "Just checking your strength," Sero began carefully. "And you¡¯re right, you¡¯re truly strong. Unimaginably stronger than I am."

    "What are you saying right now?" Liam narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Where did all of that anger go?"

    Sero took a second to prepare himself. "I¡¯m just saying, you¡¯re a lot stronger than me, but I think your brother is leagues above you. No wonder you¡¯re a bottom-rank compared to him."

    "Champion?!"

    Sero ignored the goddess as Liam¡¯s body flared with dark red lightning and flames. If there was one thing Sero was absolutely certain he was the best at, it was riling up his opponent as much as possible. That, and taking hits.

    As he copied the ¡®Hellspark¡¯ skill, Liam dashed forward, swinging his staff around. Sero quickly activated Iron Skin and Undying Spirit to avoid directly clashing with the staff, but found himself just barely able to dodge Liam¡¯s supersonic speeds. The Demonic Enforcer was ticked off, but Sero needed him to get even angrier if he had a chance to win.

    "Is this all?" Sero taunted, simultaneously bracing himself for the beatdown of his life. "Enzo was much faster than this."

    In response, Liam smiled coldly, upping the pace of his attacks. Sero had to double up on his Iron Skin as he began to take the hard hitting blows mixed with the stray elemental attacks flying off Liam¡¯s body. He summoned his pups and Sting to help mitigate and absorb some of the hits he couldn¡¯t block or dodge.

    Liam''s anger grew as he continued his assault, his breathing becoming more labored. He began to focus solely on Sero, his eyes locked onto him like a predator. The wind picked up around them, swirling as Liam''s dark aura reached out to him. Even with the combined efforts of Sting and the dragons, Liam was easily able to fight them all at once, his staff flowing through the air in a graceful dance.

    Sero, on the other hand, was beginning to accumulate too much damage. He swung his blade, missing Liam completely, which gave the Demonic Enforcer the opening he needed.

    With a growl, Liam rapped Sero''s wrist with his staff, causing him to flinch and drop his blade. Liam followed up with a rapid punch to Sero''s gut that knocked the wind out of him as well as launching him backwards; Sting and his dragons were recalled.

    However, Sero had anticipated that, simultaneously casting Shadow Bind and Mana Lock on Liam  as he dropped mana knives that triggered a Force Field around his opponent at the moment of impact. He flew through the air, but shifted into shadows and reforming to halt his knock back. His abdomen throbbed painfully.

    "What the hell?" Liam scowled, finding himself bound by shadowy chains and a green cage within a green bubble. "You think this''ll keep me locked up?"

    "Nope," Sero snapped his fingers, detonating the knives he had left inside the Force Field with Liam. The contained explosion rocked the arena, but Sero knew it wouldn''t do much to Liam.

    Just as he predicted, an unearthly howl reverberated through the stadium even before the dust settled, a flash of dark red breaking through the makeshift prison Sero made. Liam stood there, unharmed with a crazed and furious look in his eyes.

    Sero barely had time to copy ''Provoke'' before Liam blinked out of existence and reappeared before him. The Demonic Enforcer thrust his staff towards Sero''s head, but two Kings suddenly beside him, swinging their heavy weapons.

    Impossibly, Liam switched his grip mid-thrust, changing his Order''s trajectory so that it was horizontal and aligned with the two Kings'' weapons to block it. Their weapons bounced off the golden staff, giving Liam the window to switch his grip once again and slice through Sero''s familiars with a swing, completely disintegrating them.

    Yet Sero had even more up his sleeve, conjuring the Jury axe and coating it with Revenge as the Kings were defeated, pulling the weapon down as hard as he could onto Liam. In his initial plans, Sero wanted to use the axe to deal significant damage, but faced with Liam''s monstrous power made him decide to go for lethality. Hopefully, Liam would be able to survive this.

    "Huh?"

    Liam dispersed his staff and quickly clapped his hands together, catching the blade of the immensely heavy Jury between his palms. The impact sent a small shockwave outwards, rippling through the arena. A weapon Sero used that, without fail, cleaved through everything in its path, had just been easily stopped by Liam. There were no signs of struggle in his eyes as he sneered at Sero, the Revenge coating the axe fizzling out.

    "What made you think using my brother''s weapon against me would work?"

 Chapter 50: The Final Exam - Part 2

    Sero was speechless even as Liam pushed the axe off and delivered a series of hard hitting blows to his body. Sero rocketed through the air, slamming into the other end of the arena hard. He was stunned for a moment, barely able to catch his breath as he struggled to stand. As he finally managed to stand, Liam was already at his side, his hands glowing with dark red energy.

    "Oh fu-"

    Sero couldn''t finish his swear as Liam delivered a wicked right hook to his jaw, sending him flying once more. Before he could land, Liam had caught up to him, grabbing him by the ankle mid-air. He swung Sero up and slammed him down onto the dirt floor so hard, the impact sent a shockwave through the arena. Sero spat out blood as he coughed violently, barely able to see through the stars swimming before his eyes. He looked up in time to see Liam raise his hands again, this time aiming the bottom of his Order staff at his head.

    He couldn''t do this. Why did he think he could beat Liam? Even with all of the plans he thought of, the countless hours he''d spend lying awake thinking of ways to beat him, why did Sero even have the notion that he could beat someone so ridiculously strong as Liam? He had barely won against Elena, and that was when he had to push himself to the limits.

    Time seemed to move slowly as Sero watched Liam''s staff fall towards him. He knew that if this didn''t kill him, it would leave him crippled for a long time. But he couldn''t move. Sero tried, for the first time in a while, to change his life, to really push himself to do better than he did in the past few years. In front of the audience, in front of all his new friends, he was going to fail.

    But did it matter? He was told he didn''t need to win. Heck, he already got this far already, securing his new place and a steady income. His strength was already somewhat decent, and his mastery of his skills was proficient enough. He could just take this attack and be done with all the work and all the stress. Sero could finally live the comfortable and lazy life he dreamed of. At least he knew his father would be proud of him regardless.

    At the thought of his father, Sero''s eyes suddenly widened, his vision sharpening. What was he thinking?

    With a defiant cry, Sero slammed his fist down, casting a small Force Field around him. Although Liam''s staff easily broke through, it gave Sero enough time to roll out of the way as it struck the ground where his head had been moments ago. The resulting impact sent a rippling force that blew Sero away from Liam.

    Sero gritted his teeth, shifting into darkness and reforming just as Liam caught up to him, swinging his staff around. His Perfect Analysis was at the peak of its power, quickly surmising that the Demonic Enforcer was already several stages ahead in power due to Provoke.

    Casting Fairness, Sero summoned his dragons and Sting once again to balance out the absurd surge of power flowing through him. Moss and Lime yelped painfully at the immense strength, but shook it off as they supported Sting while she clashed against Liam. Sero took a moment to summon his four Queens to buff and restore his strength, keeping tabs on his rapidly dwindling mana.

    Swallowing his fear, Sero joined Sting in fighting against Liam, casting Undying Spirit only when he was sure his blade would hit Liam or his weapon. He focused on attacking Liam, hoping to divert the attacks from Sting as she held back the staff. It was a risky move, but Sero knew that Liam was stronger in close combat, while he had the advantage in ranged.

    With the addition of Lime siphoning the strength from Liam to add to Sero and his familiar cards'' aid and Moss''s absorption of the Demonic Enforcer''s stray aura, Liam was slowly being pushed back. Despite knowing it wouldn''t be enough or how long it would last, Sero had to push on. His father was watching this match, believing that he would win, or at least, do the best he could.

    For some reason, Liam''s strength continued to grow even as it was being taken away by Sero''s Undying Spirit and Lime''s debuffs. In the back of his mind, Sero wondered if it was because of Provoke, but even with the damage conversion bonus, it shouldn''t be possible for Liam to exponentially increase his strength, especially since Sero casted Fairness.

    With a ferocious roar, Liam sent a storm of lightning towards the Queens who had been providing supporting fire, easily blowing them to green ashes as he turned his attention to the dragons.

    "No!" Sero yelled out, trying to recall them, but it was too late.

    With a pulse of dark red mana, Liam blasted Sero and Sting away, dashing towards the pups and swinging his staff, brutally cleaving through them in one go. The dragons yelped and whimpered pitifully before they too, were dusted.

    "Motherfucker!" Sero felt his anger bursting as he dashed back towards Liam, swinging his sword in a blind rage. He casted Provoke as his Fairness wore off, not caring about the consequences of his actions. Sting joined him in their attack, both of them unleashing a torrent of attacks on the Demonic Enforcer. Liam, however, seemed to be enjoying himself, easily dodging their assaults with fluid motions.

    "Using my skills without knowing how is a death wish," Liam snarled, batting Sting back into Sero. "My Harmony passive keeps their drawbacks in check as any negative effects on me are dispelled or changed."

    Sero roared, realizing that that was the reason why Liam''s strength continued to grow. Harmony probably worked the same way Enzo''s Relentless did, though it seemed as if it had a more conversion-like aspect to it. Any debuffs Liam took were converted to buffs, and it probably converted other things to his benefit as well.

    But Sero didn''t care about that, letting his fury loose as he stacked Undying Spirit on top of Provoke. His body screamed in protest, but he ignored the agony, sending the excess strength towards Sting.

    Red and green mana crackled through the air as Sero and Sting exchanged blows with Liam, their weapons creating sparks and gashes on the ground. It was clear that Liam was beginning to overpower them, infuriating Sero. Was this all he could do? Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Liam got the upper hand as he caught Sting off guard, delivering a lethal strike straight through her abdomen. The Joker gasped in surprise as she dissolved into green dust, leaving Sero alone.

    Sero clenched his jaw, angered at Sting''s dismissal but used the opportunity to land a well-timed Revenge-laced mana nuke, hitting Liam directly.

    The attack detonated with a green flash, pushing the Demonic Enforcer back a few steps before the returned damage activated. Liam snarled with pain, but otherwise withstood the attack, giving Sero a death glare.

    "No fucking way," Sero thought to himself. He had put all of his strength into that blast, and all it did was move Liam a couple of steps away?

    Grimacing with pain, Sero felt his body beginning to give out as the buffs were taking its toll on his body. Though he had ran Recovery a while ago, the damage and reaching his limits were draining him faster than it could restore it. His blitzing approach had failed.

    Liam smiled coldly, stalking towards Sero at a leisurely pace. There was no doubt in Sero''s mind that S-rank knew he was at his limits.

    "Fuck it," Sero muttered, releasing his blade. He raised his fists, checking his active skills. His efficiencies were burning out, Inspiration and Undying Spirit were sapping the last of his mana reserves, and his Iron Skin had worn off. Provoke was still active as well, though it was wreaking havoc on his body faster than his Recovery could keep up.

    "Still determined?" Liam sighed, casting away his staff and mirroring Sero''s stance. "You''re stubborn, I''ll give you that."

    Sero refused to reply as he threw the first punch, hitting nothing as Liam easily evaded it and countered with a punch of his own. He grunted with pain but endured the hit, throwing another punch at Liam''s side that connected.

    "You''re not as strong as you think," Liam growled, pushing back with a hard shove to Sero''s chest. The Scholar stumbled but maintained his footing, meeting Liam''s next strike with a well-timed block. They exchanged blows for a few seconds, neither gaining the upper hand.

    Slowly, but surely, Liam''s attacks wore Sero down. Despite the mana gained back from Undying Spirit, Sero''s stamina was exhausted, and his body was reacting slower than he wanted it to. Each and every one of Liam¡¯s punches were heavy and hard, further weakening Sero. These were the same, if not stronger, blows that Raul had taken, causing Sero to wonder how he himself could ever hope to turn this around.

    Finally, Liam sent a Sero back with a hard kick to his chest, sending him skidding across the ground. Sero struggled to push himself back up and found his body unwilling to respond. In the distance, he could hear Liam walk towards him, taking his time. He knew that the only reason Liam hadn¡¯t ended the match by now was because he was making good on his promise of making Sero suffer as much and as slowly as possible.

    Taking inventory of his body, he found that the only thing active was his Recovery, which was beginning to slow down and wear off too. On the bright side, his mana reserves were completely full, so he began to pump more into keeping his Recovery up and strong.

    With a groan, Sero rolled over, trying to push himself off the ground. His arms trembled with effort, his vision blurring from exertion. Obviously getting up again was a bad idea, especially since it¡¯d give Liam another chance to beat him back down brutally, but there was a part of Sero that refused to give up. Frankly at this point, he was certain he was going to lose, but that didn¡¯t mean he was going to make it as difficult as possible for Liam to do so.

    Shakily standing back up, he saw Liam approach him with a cold, emotionless smile. His Provoke was still active, causing his strength to appear endless. Sero was faintly aware of the blood pouring down his face as well as his cuts and bruises everywhere on his body. He was fairly sure there were some broken bones too.

    "I was hoping you¡¯d get back up," The Demonic Enforcer quietly sneered. "You still need more punishment."

    Sero threw out a weak punch, missing completely as Liam savagely kicked him back again. Another spray of blood escaped his lips as he tumbled across the ground. Still, he picked himself back up, enduring the agony. His breathing was ragged and labored, and he wasn¡¯t able to properly see Liam¡¯s next attack.

    Slam.

    Sero¡¯s face burned as it scraped across the ground. His hands moved on their own accord, pushing up once again.

    Slam.

    The crowd was silent as they watched Liam beat Sero around in the arena. Even the announcer had stopped commenting on the fight, so the only sounds were of Liam¡¯s hits raining down on Sero. The referees were ready to blow the whistle as soon as they felt like Sero couldn¡¯t get back up again.

    Slam.

    Why was he so weak? Why couldn¡¯t he have put in more effort to better himself? Granted, with the passing of his mother, Sero was allowed some time to grieve, but he had lost himself in his depression and refused to do anything about it. He even pushed away his father when he needed him the most.

    Slam.

    Why couldn¡¯t he be someone else? Someone strong, like Enzo? His Scholar class seemed pathetic now, even with his roster of copied skills.

    Slam.

    If only he had Enzo¡¯s Relentless. Just that one passive alone would help even the odds. Heck, he¡¯d go for anything else other than the seemingly useless Influence passive that he couldn¡¯t figure out how to use.

    As Sero struggled to stand, he tried to imagine Enzo¡¯s Relentless passive. The way it¡¯d feel to have his strength consistent, never wavering. Honestly, if it wasn¡¯t for the Demonic Judge and his training, Sero wouldn¡¯t have gotten this far.

    "Thanks for getting me here, I guess," Sero mumbled to himself. "Sorry I couldn¡¯t pull through."

    Through his blurred vision, he saw Liam pulling back to throw another punch. With a feeling of resignation, Sero mimicked him, deciding he¡¯d at least go down fighting. As he threw the punch, Sero attempted to emulate the Relentless passive, imagining that his strength was constantly at its peak.

    Because of the damage he took, Sero didn¡¯t notice it at first. When his fist connected with Liam¡¯s the resulting impact caused a booming rift to thunder from their clash. Sero could feel his strength returning, albeit his body was still in shambles.

    Liam staggered back, a look of utter shock on his face. Instinctively, Sero knew that his Influence was replaced by Relentless as his strength peaked and remained that way. His Recovery was now in full swing, quickly healing his injuries.

    "What¡­ what the fuck did you do?" Liam quietly asked in disbelief.

    "Nothing yet," Sero replied, spitting out a glob of blood and raising his fists. His mana pool was healthy, and his strength was consistent, but his stamina and body were running on fumes. This second wind was all he was going to get.

    A small smile formed on Sero¡¯s face as his vision began to clear.

    "Let me return the favor."

 Chapter 51: The Final Exam - Part 3

    "Son of a bitch," Enzo murmured to himself as he stood, staring down at the arena. "That little fucker managed to copy my Relentless."

    "Isn¡¯t that amazing?" Kit beamed happily as she clapped her hands together. "My little bookworm is growing even more!"

    Enzo shook his head in disbelief and scoffed before sitting back down. On the other side, Cassandra smiled, her eyes rapt with clarity.

    "Adorable and strong! I wonder if he''d be interested in me."

    "Watch it, Princess," Kit immediately hissed at Cassandra with a piercing glare.

    "Aww, but aren¡¯t you dating that Technomancer from the VRO guild?" The Glass Queen smiled, unbothered.

    "I broke things off with her ages ago! Where have you been?"

    Enzo ignored the two women as he kept his gaze on the match. Though a part of him wanted his brother to do well in the match, he couldn''t help but feel a rare pride at Sero''s performance. It was a strange and uncomfortable feeling for the Demonic Judge to experience, but he was eager to see what would happen next.

    At first, Enzo hadn¡¯t understood why the Boss assigned a weak A-rank like Sero for him to train. In fact, Enzo had hated the way the Scholar was so unmotivated, pathetic, and new even despite learning that he was thrust back onto the world playing catch-up.

    But as he continued to train Sero, Enzo found himself growing more fond of the young man, even begrudgingly respecting his stubborn and persistent attitude. At least, whenever Sero used that for things that mattered.

    On the other hand, Liam was difficult to break through to. All of Enzo¡¯s efforts to try and reconcile with his younger brother had failed, due to the world¡¯s incessant comparison of the both of them. He knew Liam had an inferiority complex, but didn¡¯t know how to deal with that. It also didn¡¯t help that the brothers weren¡¯t good at talking out their feelings, especially with the way their family was prior to the apocalypse.

    Enzo sipped his can, deciding that he¡¯d deal with what issues came after the match ended. Next to him, Kit¡¯s phone began to ring.

    <hr>

    With a roar, Liam charged first, throwing a flurry of punches and kicks. Sero, now able to see them all, deflected or dodged them, returning an assault of his own. There was no longer a need for flashy skills or weapons.

    "I¡¯m not sure what exactly happened, but it seems as though the Scholar has done something unexpected once again!" The announcer cried out, a little relieved that the match wasn¡¯t going to end as brutally as expected. "Was it a new type of recovery skill? Is it a trick? Who knows!"

    The crowd had regained their enthusiasm and was now cheering loudly, many of them surprisingly advocating for Sero. He ignored their cries, focusing on the fight before him.

    Even with the new Relentless passive, Sero found himself evenly matched against Liam, both men unable to land a decisive hit. In the midst of their fist-fight, Sero managed to summon two Queens, who focused on restoring his stamina. With Recovery working overtime and keeping his Queens out, Sero¡¯s mana began to dip, though he decided he didn¡¯t need it for the physical clash.

    Analyzing the Demonic Enforcer, Sero was taken aback to find that he was able to learn much more this time around. Liam¡¯s Harmony could be seen as a direct counter to his Relentless, able to convert damage into either strength or restoration, hostile magic attacks into personal mana use, and even transmute negative effects into buffs. What''s more, Harmony was also able to use extreme emotional duress to further increase Liam''s power; rage was a particularly effective emotion to utilize.

    "You know, Liam, I don''t hate you. I just... don''t want to be like this," Sero shouted through gritted teeth. "I don''t want us to be like this."

    Liam roared, pushing Sero away with a wave of dark red mana. "Shut up! What are you even talking about? Don''t speak like you know me, bottom-rank!"

    Sero recovered quickly, pushing past Liam''s crackling elemental aura to engage in combat again. "But I do! You''re lashing out because you feel like no matter what you do, you''ll always be compared to your brother!"

    "And?" Liam snarled, managing to secure a heavy blow to Sero''s side. "You think you understand how it feels to be alone, since all the attention is on your brother?"

    "Actually," Sero grunted through the pain and landed a hit of his own. "I do. Not exactly in the same way you did, but I know how it feels to be alone. My mother always pushed me to do my best, and because of that, I was at the top of my class."

    The Demonic Enforcer''s rage grew, dangerously adding more strength due to his Harmony passive and Provoke skill. Sero felt Liam''s power beginning to eclipse his own.

    "I never had real friends! The so-called ''friends'' I had were just using me to pass!" Sero summoned the last two Queens just to keep up with Liam''s ever-growing power. "When it came down to it, they never remembered to include me in anything!"

    "So what? Boo-hoo, your friends weren''t really your friends!"

    "I wasn''t stupid; I knew they were using me, but I kept lying to myself, thinking they were my friends!" Sero struggled against the increasing pressure from Liam''s aura. "And then after my mom died, I lost myself! I pushed away my father and ended up alone!"

    Liam''s onslaught was wearing him down, but Sero refused to give up. For some reason, he thought he recognized something Liam had that reminded him of himself. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "At least your parents loved you!" Liam roared back. "Mine always favored Enzo, and that was only when they weren''t being abusive and shitty parents! Did you know that? Did you know that my brother and I killed our parents?"

    Sero''s heart skipped a beat as Liam''s words hung in the air. The crowd went silent, as if they could sense the shift in the battle''s focus. Sero glanced at Liam, studying his expression. He saw the same rage and pain that he had felt reflected back at him. And for the first time, Sero understood why Liam had become the person he was. He understood why he had lashed out against him, why he had been so desperate to prove himself.

    "After that, Enzo left me," Liam snarled as he upped the pace of his attacks. "When I needed him the most, he left me! I had no one."

    Sero felt a pang in his heart as he realized the depth of Liam''s loneliness. He knew the feeling all too well. It was a hollowness that ate away at you from the inside, a constant reminder that no matter how hard you tried, there would always be something missing. It was a feeling he had thought he had left behind, but seeing it in Liam''s eyes, he knew it was still there.

    "That''s when I decided," Liam began to land more and more hits as Sero found it difficult to keep up with the Demonic Enforcer''s speed and strength despite his Relentless. "I''d climb to the top. I don''t need anyone''s help to do so, and I certainly won''t now. Those who can''t stand where I''m at don''t deserve the right of the strong."

    Sero narrowly avoided a hit, his own Queens falling to the ground as he struggled to keep Liam at bay. He glanced at the Demonic Enforcer, seeing not the monster he had once believed him to be, but a lonely child who had grown up with an impossible burden on his shoulders. A child who had been hurt and abandoned, just like Sero had.

    Like Sero, he was an asshole too, but the Scholar wondered if that''s what he would''ve become had he chosen to channel that pain into hate. Or if his parents had been like Liam''s.

    "Your way of thinking," Sero grimaced from the force of Liam''s attacks. "Is fucked up. I had to start over too, but I''m not degrading everyone else!"

    "Because you''re still weak," Liam sent a punch densely coated with mana that blasted Sero away. The Demonic Enforcer quickly followed behind, catching up and elbowing Sero into the ground mid-flight. "You don''t know sacrifice. Or loss, or loneliness."

    Sero coughed, spitting out a glob of blood. He could feel his Relentless passive slipping away. At least his Queens and Recovery had restored his energy somewhat.

    Liam stood over Sero with a sneer, gathering dark red mana into his fists. "But I will teach you pain."

    The playing card Sero had dropped during his knock back activated, exploding and conjuring a Jack that quickly grabbed Sero''s ankles and yanked him away from Liam''s downward punch in the nick of time.

    Sero ungracefully flew through the air a second time as he threw out the rest of his Kings and Jacks to deal with Liam. Using Shadow Sneak to safely land on the ground, Sero felt his Relentless passive fade. A slight panic rose in his chest, but his Rationality activated, calming his nerves as he tried to imagine Enzo''s Relentless once more.

    But nothing happened.

    Swearing to himself, Sero watched as Liam quickly dispatched his familiars with blinding speed, easily ripping them apart with his bare hands. It was a terrifying spectacle to behold.

    Steeling himself, Sero casted Undying Spirit, figuring that using Fairness on Liam would cripple him. He was running out of options, his Perfect Analysis now useless.

    Liam turned his attention to Sero after the familiars had been decimated, coming towards him at supersonic speeds. With no time to think, Sero tried the only thing he could come up with, imagining a certain woman with mismatched eyes.

    Both men threw a punch, but Liam was much, much faster, his fist already near Sero''s face while his own fist had barely moved forward.

    "What the?"

    Liam blinked in shock as his punch missed, whereas Sero''s punch connected with the Demonic Enforcer''s chest. A few seconds later, a reverberating mana echo from Undying Spirit erupted from impact, followed by Revenge''s enveloping green aura.

    Liam shouted in pain as he was blown away by the attack. Sero panted heavily, feeling Kit''s Lawbreak passive hold back the Cat Paradox''s mind-shattering effect. He hadn''t realized the mental strain the skill imposed on its caster, finding a newfound respect for the Paradox.

    Sero kept up his pursuit, dashing after Liam even as Revenge worked its magic on him. He sent a series of punches and kicks, draining mana from Liam with every echoing hit.

    Though initially caught off guard and unable to defend, Liam quickly composed himself, adjusting to Sero''s attacks and shifting the advantage back in his favor. Sero casted Cat Paradox again, aiming to land a direct hit on Liam.

    | I will hit him. | He will miss. |

    Sero''s will gave out against Liam''s as his fist missed the Demonic Enforcer. It seemed as though Liam already realized Sero''s emulation of Kit''s abilities and knew how to fight back.

    "Fuck!" Sero swore under his breath as his plan failed. While it was a strong skillset, Sero lacked the experience that Kit had, unable to draw out her skill and passive''s true strength.

    Liam smirked, seeing his opponent falter. He lunged forward, grabbing Sero by the throat and lifting him into the air. "You''re just another pathetic human, struggling against your fate. You don''t belong here, weakling."

    Sero gasped for breath, choking as he struggled to break free from Liam''s vice-like grip. He felt the world spinning around him, darkness beginning to creep into the edges of his vision. He wasn''t going to make it out of this. Not like this. He couldn''t lose like this.

    As he felt the Lawbreak passive slip away, Sero desperately tried to find a new tactic. But nothing came to mind.

    His vision began to swim as he felt the last of his strength ebb away. He was about to give up, about to accept his fate. But then, an idea struck him. It was a wild, reckless, foolish idea. It was the kind of idea that would only work had he been a certain someone else. In this case, Sero did have the ability to do so.

    With a final cry, Sero gripped Liam''s arm tightly, dispersing his Undying Spirit in favor of activating Fairness. Liam''s eyes twitched at the forceful balancing, but kept his hold on Sero''s neck steady as he gathered mana into his hand.

    Under the immense surge of power, Sero could felt his body paralyzed from the overload, but he stared directly into Liam''s eyes with renewed determination.

    "What are you trying to-"

    Before the Demonic Enforcer could finish his sentence, Sero mustered up the concentration to emulate the Harmony passive. He felt his pain gradually give way to strength, and he was slightly surprised to learn that he could convert that strength back into stamina.

    "Oh, this is pretty broken," Sero thought to himself as his copied Harmony began to work a miracle on his exhausted body. The excess surge of strength from the Fairness he casted earlier had all been converted into energy, replenishing Sero''s stamina. With a quick jab and a kick, Sero broke free from Liam''s grasp and created some distance between them.

    "You are annoyingly persistent," Liam growled through gritted teeth. "How about you stay down?"

    "How about no?" Sero wiped the blood from his mouth using the back of his hand and flipped Liam off.

 Chapter 52: The Final Exam â€“ Final Part

    Sero''s words stung, and Liam felt a surge of anger course through him. He dashed forward, swinging wildly, but Sero easily dodged out of the way. He was faster than he''d anticipated, and his reflexes were honed to a razor''s edge. Liam cursed under his breath and backpedaled, regrouping.

    Amazed at himself, Sero couldn''t help but feel a small grin spread across his face. His experiences had paid off; he could feel the power of the emulated abilities coursing through his veins, making him faster, stronger, and more agile than ever before. It was as if he was living out a dream, a fantasy of what it would be like to truly become the best version of himself.

    Sero quickly forced the feeling down, less than eager to jinx his luck as the Demonic Enforcer''s power began to plateau. Sensing that Liam couldn''t reach any higher due to their prolonged fight at high intensities, Sero took this chance to push his limits, casting Undying Spirit alongside a doubled Inspiration.

    Because all of the damage he had taken prior to emulating Harmony had been converted to strength, Sero used the excess power from the buffs to completely restore his stamina and energy. The only downside was that his mana pool had taken a huge hit, with roughly a quarter of magic left within him.

    The Scholar cracked his knuckles, dashing towards Liam to engage in hand-to-hand combat once more. There was still a difference of strength between them, but Sero was now in perfect condition whereas Liam seemed to grow sluggish in his movements.

    Sero''s attacks were swift and precise, his movements graceful despite the frenzy of battle. He landed a series of powerful blows, forcing Liam back against the wall. The Demonic Enforcer''s eyes widened as he realized that he was being outmatched, his mana and strength being drained away with every consecutive hit. He struggled to keep his footing as Sero continued to press the advantage.

    Just as he was about to land a heavy strike, Sero wavered, feeling the effects of Harmony vanish from him. He gasped in shock as waves of pain rolled over his body, the multiple buffs he had casted now working against him.

    Quickly dispelling everything but Undying Spirit, Sero realized he had missed his chance to deal the final blow as Liam gave an unearthly howl, beginning to fight back again.

    "Holy... shit!" Sero thought to himself. Liam was just as tenacious, if not more than, he was.

    As they traded blows, Sero tried to emulate the Harmony passive once more, feeling the same dull unresponsiveness as his body refused to do so. Did his Influence have a hidden cooldown? Or could it only use copied passives once? If it was the latter, then Sero might''ve wasted his only chances at saving them when he really needed it. He''d deal with that later, for now, he needed another desperate, outlandish plan if he was going to end the match soon.

    A half-baked plan popped into his head. It wasn''t well thought out, but it was something at least.

    Keeping Liam at bay with a well-timed Fire Blast, Sero stomped his foot, casting a green runic Blast Zone that covered the entire arena floor. He immediately dropped to his knees, conjuring a dark jade cannon that he aimed at the sky, firing a volley of mana nukes into the air.

    "Really?" The Demonic Enforcer suddenly appeared within view, aiming a low kick to Sero¡¯s body. The playing cards around Sero exploded, summoning the court familiars and obstructing Liam¡¯s attack. He snarled, obliterating the familiars to ashes with a deep red lightning storm.

    But Sero¡¯s Starfall Nuke was already completed, the sky reflecting the green hues of the mana in the air. While the green explosions began to rain down, Sero took the chance to cast Shadow Bind and Mana Lock to momentarily incapacitate Liam. He knew it wouldn''t hold him forever, but it was just enough time for Sero to conjure the Jury in one hand and send it crashing down at Liam.

    Just as he predicted, Liam broke out of the binds with a roar, quickly drawing the Order staff to block the Jury. But even as Sero''s axe was blocked, he quickly summoned his own Order in his other hand.

    "Holy fuck!" Sero gasped as the staff immediately fell on top of the axe, bringing Liam to his knees. Just like Enzo''s Jury, the copied Order staff was immensely heavy, which explained why Liam was able to withstand the weight of the axe earlier.

    "What in the world are you planning?" Liam snarled, a mixture of confusion and rage in his face. Despite the fact that he blocked both of Sero''s weapons, it was enough that he couldn''t move out from underneath them. Sero smiled dryly as his Starfall Nuke converged on the two.

    "Honestly, I''m not sure myself," Sero replied, forcing his weight down on the golden weapons. Liam bared his teeth, desperately trying to inch away to no avail.

    The barrage exploded upon them, beating them down with countless bursts of magic. Sero gritted his teeth, trying to endure the blasts from his own attacks as he kept Liam locked underneath. At some point, all he could see was green as he dispersed his weapons and shifted into shadows to try and mitigate some of the friendly fire upon himself.

    Eventually, Sero sensed his attack had ended and reformed, immediately casting Recovery on himself. His mana pool had been completely restored due to Undying Spirit''s bonus on his Starfall Nuke.

    As the smoke cleared, he saw Liam on one knee with his face contorted in pain. It seemed as if his Harmony passive in conjunction with Provoke couldn''t keep up with the unyielding explosions, finally dealing a significant amount of damage to the Demonic Enforcer. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Sero launched himself forward, summoning Sting and his two pups to further weaken Liam. Moss and Lime seemed eager to take their revenge as they needed no encouragement to begin siphoning strength and debuffing. Meanwhile, Sero began to throw punches and kicks while Sting supported him with ranged-attacks.

    Liam reacted quickly, giving another unearthly howl as he charged full-force against Sero and his summons. But it was clear that he was severely drained from tanking that attack, unable to block many of the attacks that came his way.

    With a frustrated growl, Liam once again sent out a wave of red mana, going after Sero''s pups as soon as there was an opening. However, Sero anticipated it, dispersing his summons and going after Liam.

    The Demonic Enforcer turned around, clashing with Sero again. He caught one of Sero''s punches and yanked him close.

    "You are one annoying motherfucker!" Liam spat as he smashed his head against Sero''s.

    Even though the headbutt stunned him, Sero ignored the pain, relying on his instincts as he countered with a punch. Liam staggered back, surprised that the attack was so effective.

    "What...?"

    With a small smirk, Sero knew his plan had worked, even if not completely. Draining Liam''s mana with the Starfall Nuke meant that he would soon feel the exhaustion, not to mention lacking the resources to cast his important skills. The Harmony passive would eventually restore his mana, but Sero wasn''t going to let Liam get the chance to do so as he continued to attack.

    Hit after hit, the two exchanged heavy blows, hurting the other with every impact. But as the battle continued, Sero could feel Liam beginning to slow down, his movements becoming less precise and more sluggish. It was the exhaustion from the mana drain taking its toll.

    Sero wasn''t better off either, his body screaming from prolonged exertion as his Undying Spirit continued to boost him to his limits. But he didn''t stop; he couldn''t stop. Every blow he landed on Liam was returned in favor, but Sero didn''t care.

    Liam was shouting in defiance as he punched and kicked, unwilling to lose to Sero. The Scholar himself became aware of his own voice crying out with every blow he sent.

    I won''t lose. | He can''t win.

    Sero coughed up blood as Liam kneed him in the stomach, but he retaliated with a hook to the jaw. He realized the clashing thoughts in his head were a side-effect of Lawbreak, which allowed him to hear the wills of others.

    I will not give up. | I''ll beat him within an inch of his life.

    A spin kick to Liam''s side was answered by an elbow to Sero''s chest.

    I need to show my father I can do this. | I need to show the world I am strong.

    Sero could feel his nose gushing blood as Liam''s fist broke it, but he pushed forward with an uppercut, feeling the Demonic Enforcer¡¯s jaw crack. Over and over, the two inflicted severe damage to each other, but neither were backing down.

    His body ached, his vision swam, but Sero didn¡¯t stop, his instincts taking over. Both he and Liam were slowing down considerably, beginning to reach their limits. In the back of his mind, Sero couldn¡¯t help but feel a reluctant respect towards his opponent, even considering his twisted perception of things. Strangely enough, through their attacks, he was almost certain that Liam felt the same respect for him as well.

    Both of them had suffered hardships, and were stuck in similar situations prior to the apocalypse. However, despite both men having to crawl their way from the bottom, the biggest factor between the two was that Sero¡¯s parents had cared for him, unlike the way Liam¡¯s parents did not. While Sero remained adamant in his dislike for Liam¡¯s personality, he had to admit that he could see himself ending up the same way had his parents not given him the love he needed growing up. What made it frightening was that Sero came close to that right after his mother passed.

    But now, Sero had a chance to do better. He had a second life to pursue the things he abandoned in his depression. Things he had looked forward to. He had friends, true friends that had helped him through his difficulties. Sero¡¯s father was back in his life as well. He wasn¡¯t going to run away. Not again.

    There¡¯s so much I have to lose. | I have nothing to lose.

    With a final cry, Sero threw a wild punch but missed, leaving himself wide open. Shakily, Liam seized the opportunity, drawing back his fist and sending it towards Sero¡¯s face.

    Sero could only watch as his body refused to listen to him, watching as Liam¡¯s fist rocketed through the air. The bones that had healed felt broken again. Every nerve in his body felt frayed and burnt, his mind hazy and his vision blurry.

    All of a sudden, Liam halted, his fist inches away from making contact. He dropped his arm, teetering unsteadily on his feet before coming to a stand-still.

    Sero blinked in surprise, unable to comprehend what had just happened. To him, it felt like seconds, but then he realized that the medics had swarmed the two, checking them over. He could only register the blank look in Liam¡¯s eyes as Sero felt the medics beginning to coax him to relax.

    "...Match! It seems as though the Demonic Enforcer had long passed out on his feet!" Sero could hear the announcer¡¯s voice fading in. "Ladies and gentlemen¡­ your champion for this tournament and the surprising underdog of the year¡­ Sero Kassel!"

    It took a moment for Sero to register the victory as the crowd roared their approval. Slowly coming out of his stupor, Sero smiled faintly, agonizingly raising a hand above his head in triumph as he turned off all his skills except for Recovery.

    "Did you see that, Dad?" Sero croaked out, his voice drowned out by the screaming cheers of the audience. "I did it. I won."

    Exhaustion finally took over his body as he careened backwards, only to find himself caught in a pair of soft arms. Turning his head, Sero saw that it was Kit who had caught him.

    "Oh, hey," Sero grinned weakly at the Paradox. "Are you proud of me?"

    He didn¡¯t know why, but even though Kit was smiling back, her expression was sad, almost pained. Her eyes were watering up, a look he never thought Kit would ever have. There was a slow, gut-wrenching feeling rising up within him.

    "Yes, my little bookworm," she whispered, her voice barely audible to Sero. "But, we can talk about that later. Right now, I¡¯m going to teleport and heal you, so please work with me."

    "Ok." Sero¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, but he was too drained to think properly. The medics were suddenly more interested in Liam instead of him, most likely due to Kit¡¯s Cat Paradox. "Where are we going?"

    The Paradox swallowed hard, shaking her head as Sero began to feel his body start to heal and his world blurring.

    "I¡¯m so sorry, Sero."

 Chapter 53: Test Results

    Amaya and Nala quietly watched Tiero¡¯s reaction as silent tears fell from his face after hearing Sero speak about his past. Whether he was conscious of it or not, Tiero had been stroking Casey¡¯s hair as his eyes were glued to the screen. Casey himself didn¡¯t mind or complained, sensing that the older man was experiencing a wave of emotions.

    "He¡¯s very strong," Tiero said after a while. On screen, Sero had emulated Lawbreak for the first time. "I¡¯ve never seen him so¡­ passionate and lively. Well, not after his mother passed away."

    The other kept quiet. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to comfort Tiero, but rather, they weren¡¯t sure what to say.

    "If I may, I think that Sero¡¯s always had that air of being passionate," Amaya began with a wry smile. "Even after learning that he was gone for almost a year when all of this started."

    "Yeah, I can always count on him to lighten the mood," Nala added. Tiero smiled at both of them.

    "I¡¯m glad to hear that. It makes me really happy to know that Sero¡¯s been doing well." Tiero stopped patting Casey¡¯s head and leaned back with a pained look. "Those few years I spent without contact with him made me so worried. I wondered if I had done a proper job of being a father."

    Amaya blinked, suddenly feeling small tears sting at her eyes. Nala noticed and subtly squeezed her hand comfortingly.

    "I¡¯m sure he knows that you were thinking about him," The Shaderepear replied. "Plus, you guys will have time to catch up and patch things together."

    "You¡¯re right," Tiero chuckled weakly. "Thank you, all of you. I¡¯m so grateful my son has such good friends like you guys." He coughed violently, his body shaking from the act. Casey quickly hopped off to give him some room.

    "Are you feeling ok?" Amaya shook herself out of her feelings, concerned for the man¡¯s condition. "Dr. Malek did say it would take some time for your body to adjust to the new organs."

    "I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine," Tiero waved a hand dismissively. "Just feeling a bit weak. I think more rest after the surgery will do me good."

    At this point, Sero had emulated the Harmony passive on screen, duking it out with Liam.

    "Anyway," Tiero tried to change the subject. "Sero¡¯s match is going really well."

    "Yeah¡­ no, I¡¯m actually really amazed by his growth," Amaya added, relieved at the shift in atmosphere. "To think he¡¯s also able to copy passives as well."

    "Do you think it has anything to do with his talents prior to the apocalypse?" Tiero asked.

    "Talents?" Nala chimed in, unintentionally sounding doubtful.

    "Yes, my son is talented," Sero¡¯s father chuckled with amusement. "He had a knack for academics and problem-solving skills. His mother really pushed that in him, making him rise to the top of his class every year."

    Tiero coughed again, a bit longer than usual this time. "Looking back, it was pretty unfair. The kids around him were envious of his intelligence and took advantage of our poverty to trick him into thinking they were friends just so that they could exploit his mind. Well, I guess now I know that Sero wasn¡¯t fooled by them."

    "Well, I¡¯m not exactly sure if talents have anything to do with how your Class is innately decided for you," Amaya quickly handed a glass of water to him. "But I am sure that Sero possessed some quality that made him ascend as a Scholar."

    "Yes, I think that is the case as well," Nala added. "I mean, we all know that Sero is a quick learner, but he also has this natural ability to break down complicated information and make it easy for himself to understand. That''s a rare quality."

    "Is it really, though?" Amaya muttered under her breath.

    Tiero gulped the entire glass of water before clearing his throat again. For some reason, it seemed as if he was looking even worse than before his surgery.

    "At any rate, I regret not being able to help him continue to hone his talents. I never really gave him much encouragement since his mother was always the one to do that. I just figured he already knew." Tiero gazed down at his hands. "Somewhere along the line, I think I made him feel like I wasn¡¯t proud of him, when that couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth. Allowing so much time to slip away without expressing how I felt just became the normal for us. And then when his mother passed away..."

    No one spoke for a while. Casey scratched his head as he gazed up at Tiero.

    "I don¡¯t really get what happened, but I think Mr. Sero is happy you¡¯re here, Mr. Tiero," the young boy said with a pure look in his eyes. "If I were Mr. Sero, I¡¯d be happy to have my dad back too, no matter what happened between us."

    The other three adults looked at Casey with varying levels of amusement and appreciation as the boy¡¯s naive and innocent nature lifted the mood in the room. With a weak chuckle, Tiero ruffled Casey¡¯s head. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "Thanks. Your grandmother is very lucky to have a grandson like you."

    Casey made a face, but allowed the gesture, satisfied that he was able to make the adults somewhat happier.

    Gradually, the group returned their attention to the screen as Sero had launched his Starfall Nuke, momentarily wiping the cameras green as it fell down. Casey and Tiero gasped with awe at the sheer size and intensity of the attack.

    "Do you think Mr. Sero will win?"

    "Of course," Tiero grinned down at the boy. "Even if I missed his match, I know he¡¯ll¨C" A full-body cough wreaked havoc on his body, causing Casey to hurriedly hop off the bed. Amaya responded quickly, pouring another glass to give to Tiero.

    However, it seemed like his coughing fit went on for far too long, ultimately leading to him spitting up blood.

    "Oh my- Are you ok, sir?" Amaya quickly pulled Casey away.

    "Yes- Actually, no, I¡¯m not," Tiero wheezed after his coughs finally subsided. He leaned back, clutching his chest, splotches of blood staining his hospital gown. "It feels like my heart is racing too fast and it hurts."

    The heart monitor that had been steadily beeping beside Sero¡¯s father began to gradually increase its pace. Alarmed, Amaya turned to Nala, exchanging a quick glance, their eyes filled with worry.

    "Hey, Casey? Nala''s going to escort you back to your grandma''s room, ok?" Amaya nodded to Nala.

    "Okay." The boy looked worried, but trusted Nala enough to follow her.

    Even before they left, the liaison quickly hit the aid button near Tiero''s headrest to call for a nurse. Amaya began to panic, hearing the beeping of the heart monitor speeding up faster and faster. "Oh my god, Tiero, are you having a heart attack?" she whispered, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

    "I''m not sure- I''ve never... had one before..." Tiero''s breathing became labored, his face contorted in pain. "It just hurts a lot... I thought I was fine..."

    Amaya grabbed his free hand, clutching it tightly. "Hold on, sir," she pleaded. "Help is coming. Just stay strong."

    Tiero coughed again, cries of pain mixing with the violent hacking. "My son," he rasped as soon as he got the chance to speak. He squeezed Amaya''s hand even tighter. "Sero."

    "Yeah, Sero''s going to be here soon," Amaya blinked back the tears in her eyes as the medical staff burst into the room. "Everything''s going to be ok."

    "No," Tiero began to spit up blood. "Right now.... Sero... " Blood trickled down his chin as he gasped for air. "I need... I need to tell him..."

    Dr. Malek arrived on the scene, a look of worry and agitation on his face. He glanced at Amaya and Tiero, quickly understanding the situation.

    "I need a full dose of anesthesia administered stat, followed by two shots of manafluid injected into his bloodstream," The doctor barked, rushing over to Tiero.

    "Tell him..." Tiero''s words were barely audible over the clamor. "You tell him, I''m proud of him. I was always proud of him."

    "No," Amaya shook her head as the tears threatening to break free. "You have to be one to tell him. Don''t talk like you''re..." She trailed off, unable to finish as she watched the nurses quickly work on him.

    "He must be... feeling very confused," Tiero smiled, a glassy look beginning to come across his eyes. "Seeing his father... who he thought... never cared for him. I did care... I love him so much..."

    His grip began to weaken as the nurses urged Amaya to step away. The anesthesia was beginning to take hold, Tiero''s eyelids growing heavy. As the Spellblade reluctantly pulled away, the doctor administered the manafluid, hoping it would help stabilize his heart. The beeping of the monitors didn''t slow down, instead, they began to speed up.

    "When you see him again... please... tell him I''m sorry," Tiero managed to rasp out. "I''m sorry... I never showed him... how much I cared... he''s a good son... take good care... of him..."

    The manafluid was having some effect, but Tiero''s heart was still struggling. The medical staff continued to work tirelessly to stabilize him, but the situation was growing more dire by the moment. Amaya could only watch, tears streaming down her face.

    With one last breath, Tiero looked at Amaya, a moment of clarity in his eyes.

    "Tell Sero... I love him."

    At the peak of its beeping, the heart monitor finally flatlined. The medical staff immediately began to work frantically, but it was already too late. Tears streamed down Amaya''s face as she watched the man who had just moments ago been her friend slip away. She couldn''t believe that this was happening. She felt as if a part of her had died along with him.

    <hr>

    "Hello?" Kit answered her phone, surprised that Amaya had called her. Down on the arena, Sero had exhausted all his copied passives and was slugging it out with Liam, nearing the end of the match.

    "Kit?" Amaya''s voice sounded distant, almost far away. "I-I''m so sorry. It''s Tiero... he''s..." She couldn''t finish the sentence. "He''s gone. He just... he just passed away."

    "What?"

    Enzo glanced at Kit, sensing something was wrong. Even Cassandra picked up on the slight change in the Paradox''s body language.

    "Sero''s father..." Amaya''s voice on the line was barely audible. She sniffled, struggling to get the words out. "He... passed away..."

    Kit was speechless. She could feel her heart drop into her stomach as she tried to process the information. "I''m so sorry, Amaya," she managed to choke out. "I don''t know what to say." She glanced at Enzo and Cassandra, who were both looking at her with concerned expressions.

    "Can you... bring him after the match?" Amaya managed to choke out. "I don''t know if he''ll be ready for it, but I just know Sero would want to see him regardless of his own state."

    "Y-yeah... I will..." Kit whispered, still trying to comprehend the news. "I''ll... break it to him."

    "Thank you." Amaya seemed on the verge of tears as she hung up. Kit turned to Enzo and Cassandra.

    "What''s wrong?" The Glass Queen asked, no longer distant.

    "My bookworm... Sero''s father passed away just now." Kit quietly said.

    "Oh my god..." Cassandra whispered. She put a hand on Kit''s shoulder, squeezing it gently.

    Enzo lowered his head, a look of disbelief on his face. "That''s a really shitty thing to hear."

    "Ladies and gentlemen¡­ your champion for this tournament and the surprising underdog of the year¡­ Sero Kassel!"

    As the crowd cheered, the three S-ranks could only imagine how Sero would react to the news they had just received. With a saddened expression on her face, Kit got up and teleported down onto the arena.

 Chapter 54: A Hollow Victory

    Sero didn¡¯t want to believe it.

    After being healed somewhat by Kit¡¯s Cat Paradox, Sero was able to at least process everything he had been told, including the news of his father¡¯s death. As the pair made their way to Tiero¡¯s room, Sero was aware that it hadn¡¯t really hit him yet.

    Nala and Amaya were waiting outside the room, glancing up at the two as they approached. The Spellblade¡¯s eyes were red and swollen; with a start, Sero realized that it was the first time he had ever seen her cry. While the Shadereaper showed no signs of tears, she was still visibly distraught, her violet eyes watery with sadness and sympathy.

    He stepped inside his father¡¯s room, seeing him resting on the bed with his hands on his stomach. Tiero¡¯s eyes were closed, as if deep in sleep. The sickly color in his skin had vanished from the surgery, but was replaced by a pale coloring. Sero¡¯s stomach churned at the surreal sight, half-expecting his father to wake up and say it was all a prank.

    Wordlessly, Sero knelt down next to the bed, staring at his still father. A flurry of emotions crashed against each other within him, on the verge of flooding out. Sero carefully grasped one of Tiero¡¯s cold hands in his, refusing to acknowledge how lifeless it felt.

    "Hey Dad," Sero¡¯s voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. "I did it. I won the tournament."

    Sero swallowed, feeling a hard lump in his throat. His eyes stung with tears that stemmed from regret and sadness. He clenched his jaw tightly, trying to keep himself composed. Sero opened his mouth, but his voice failed.

    "I just¡­ I just want to say sorry," he finally began. His words trembled as he looked down at their hands, unable to meet his father¡¯s face. "I¡¯m sorry for being a shitty son. I¡¯m sorry I pushed you away after Mom died. I¡¯m sorry for not talking to you after I left. I¡¯m¨C"

    The apologies that were spilling out stopped as Sero choked on his words. His face was warm and wet, but Sero took a deep breath and continued.

    "I followed through this time. I tried my hardest and won the tournament. Are you proud of me? I¡¯ve finished something I started." His voice cracked again. "Dad, I finished something for the first time in my life."

    Sero¡¯s vision blurred. He didn¡¯t know what he was saying, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself.

    "I know now that you¡¯ve always cared for me. Even when we were separated, you never stopped caring. I guess I was just angry that the world took Mom away. I was frustrated thinking that you didn¡¯t understand how I felt, but you were probably the only one who could. You were just trying to help me. And I took that for granted."

    Moss and Lime suddenly appeared by his side, nuzzling him gently. Sero squeezed his father¡¯s hand, not wanting to let go. All the words he wanted to say when Tiero was alive were refusing to come out now.

    "Would this still have happened if we were still living together?" Sero whispered. "If I had ascended when I was around you, would I have been able to stop you from catching the Outbreak Plague?"

    His father remained motionless, quiet. The steady beeping of medical equipment seemed to mock his words. Sero couldn¡¯t see very well, but he didn¡¯t feel like wiping away his tears.

    "There was a lot I wanted to say to you. A lot I wanted to talk about. I don¡¯t- I don¡¯t know what to do now. I just got you back, and for a moment, I thought we¡¯d be able to fix things up. And then you leave me again." Sero clenched his jaw tightly as the tears flowed down his face. It wasn¡¯t fair. Sero had left first, but at least he came back to his father. "I wanted¡­ I wanted to repay you. You¡¯ve done so much for me even though I wasn¡¯t exactly the best son. I was going to show you that I made something out of myself. I have superpowers, and magic, and a shitton of gold, and-"

    His eyes burned and his throat was sore. Every shuddering breath he took tipped him further and further in his emotions. Sero expected his Rationality to kick in, but it never did. Whether by his own subconscious or the fact that it might have some sentience to know not to activate, he didn¡¯t care. Everything felt like a dream, from breaking his body several times over to achieve a grueling victory to suddenly dealing with the loss of the last of his family. It was so jarring that Sero felt like laughing.

    "Dad," Sero managed to continue. "If- When you see Mom¡­ tell her I miss her. I miss her so much." He leaned down, placing his hand on his father¡¯s hand. "I miss both of you so, so much."

    "I love you. I¡¯m sorry I never said it before you left."

    Sero let go of his emotions, quietly sobbing to himself. He hadn¡¯t cried since his mother died, and the pain he felt now was exactly the same, if not more intense this time. Sero cursed the world and himself, wondering why this happened to him. He knew the apocalypse had been destructive for most people, but he never really acknowledged that its catastrophic impact would directly affect him.

    He didn¡¯t know how long he knelt there, silently crying his heart out. Years of pent-up anger, sadness, and hurt finally made their escape as they ripped apart Sero¡¯s mind. His body, still healing from the match against Liam, was now experiencing a new kind of pain as his sobs shook his entire being. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Sero and his mother had been close, but that didn¡¯t mean he loved his father any less. It just meant that he didn¡¯t rely on his father for the things his mother used to provide. But now with Tiero gone, Sero felt lost and alone, like when his mother passed away. Only this time, he truly had no other family to turn to.

    As his tears subsided, he realized that a pair of soft arms had been wrapped around his shoulders, gently embracing him. Sero turned his head, expecting to see Kit, but was surprised to see Amaya holding him instead.

    "Hey," Sero could only manage a single word, his voice hoarse. Amaya looked as if she had also been crying, maybe even with Sero before he realized her presence.

    "I''m sorry for your loss," she whispered, her voice cracking slightly. "I know I haven''t known him long, but... he was a good man. He was so proud of you."

    "Thanks," Sero looked away. He remembered that Amaya had lost her entire family too, so she was probably the only one who understood how he was feeling. "I just don''t know what to do now. It''s like... everything''s falling apart."

    He could feel the Spellblade''s soft arms squeezing him tighter, comforting him. It was the first time someone had been there for him in a long time. Maybe it was the shock of losing his father, or the fact that he had no one else to turn to, but the thought of being alone again sent a fresh wave of despair through him.

    For a moment, Sero relaxed within her embrace as his pups gently nuzzled the pair. It felt as if she knew exactly what he was feeling, reassuring him that he was not alone. He wondered if she was reminded of her own father.

    Sero heard the door open and turned around to see Nala, Kit, Enzo, Cassandra, and even Gregor walking in. All of them had solemn looks on their faces as they quietly gazed at Sero and Amaya.

    "We heard what happened," Nala said, her voice barely audible. "We''re here for you, Sero." Enzo nodded in agreement, and Gregor stepped forward, placing a hand on Sero''s shoulder.

    "Though I never had the pleasure of meeting your father," the Conqueror began in a low rumble. "I am certain he was a good man." He paused, his gaze softening as he studied Sero. "And I want you to know that you are not alone. You have a family here now, Sero. We will support you, and we will help you get through this." His words seemed to carry weight, and Sero found himself numbly nodding in agreement.

    "I appreciate it, guys," Sero cleared his throat. "I just- I think I need some time alone."

    Everyone nodded understandingly. Nala placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Take as much time as you need, Sero. We''ll be here for you whenever."

    As they began to file out of the room, Amaya lingered behind for a moment, gazing at Sero with sympathy in her eyes. "If you ever want to talk, or... you know, just hang out, I''m here for you," she said softly. Her words brought a small smile to Sero''s lips, and he found himself grateful for her support. "If you need a ride back, I don¡¯t mind."

    "Thanks," Sero lowered his head. The liaison gave him a reassuring smile before leaving him alone.

    Turning back to his father, Sero sat in silence for a while, recalling all the memories he had with him. It was hard to believe that so much had happened in his life in a couple of weeks. Even as his Rationality crept over him, Sero¡¯s chest never lost the tightness that strangled his heart.

    "I¡¯m not ready for this."

    <hr>

    The car ride back to his penthouse was quiet but comforting. Although neither Amaya nor Sero spoke a single word to each other, there was a shared understanding between them, having experienced such heavy loss.

    Dr. Malek had informed him that the initial results had thought Tiero¡¯s body accepted the mana-enhanced organs with minor resistance, but it seemed as though it later rejected the abnormal implants. Despite Tiero¡¯s body handling the mana injections well, the forceful replacement of the surgery proved too much for him to handle, quickly overloading his body with mana that he could not process.

    It was a morbid thought to have, but Sero knew that his father would¡¯ve passed away regardless had he continued with the injections instead of surgery. At least with the shots, Sero could¡¯ve had more time to spend with his father.

    As Amaya pulled up to his penthouse, Sero numbly noticed a crowd of people waiting for him there. A mixture of press, guild leaders, and third-party organizations wanting to meet with him, Sero felt a rising anger within him. Granted, he had pulled off a surprising victory earlier, but the death of his father dampened the glory. Not that they would know that.

    "I can distract them while you sneak past," Amaya offered with a soft smile. Sero shook his head, feeling a surge of power course through his body.

    "It¡¯s ok," Sero began, relieved to find that his Influence was able to emulate Lawbreak. He figured there was some sort of cooldown before he could use copied passives again, but he¡¯d deal with that later. "Can you see how many people there are?"

    "Huh? Uh, sure," Amaya raised an eyebrow but went ahead and scanned the crowd. Sero smiled apologetically to himself as he casted Cat Paradox.

    Seconds later, Sero found himself standing inside his penthouse after feeling a brief distortion. He grunted, noticing his disorientation significantly diminished and shorter as compared to when Kit would teleport him. How was she so used to this feeling?

    Sero shot a quick text to Amaya, explaining what happened before he realized the lights in his living room were on. He glanced up, finally taking in the scene.

    Luna, the succubus, sat frozen on his luxurious sofas, surrounded by a plethora of half-eaten food, wrappers, and empty alcohol cans. Luna herself was dressed in one of Sero¡¯s white silk robes, wearing only her black underwear underneath. The flat-screen tv was quietly playing what seemed like an action movie.

    Sero had almost forgotten that he ordered the succubus to remain hidden at his place, but he was not expecting her to completely indulge herself. Luna blushed deeply, wrapping her robe around herself to cover up as she averted her orange eyes. Normally, Sero would¡¯ve been happy about the fact that such a beautiful woman like Luna was dressed like that in his penthouse, but the events of today were still painfully fresh in his mind.

    "Um¡­ welcome back?" Luna greeted him with a sheepish smile.

 Chapter 55: Circling Back

    After Sero forced Luna to clean up and change into more modest clothing, he sat on one of the sofas across from her, silently thinking to himself. He had tried contacting Aphiel to no avail, which was surprising since she had been active during his match against Liam. Speaking of, Sero didn¡¯t know what happened after the match, since he immediately went to go see his father.

    Apparently, before coming to the hospital as well, Gregor had moved quickly after he heard news of Tiero¡¯s death, stepping up to represent Sero. The gesture was both helpful and problematic, as now people within and beyond the 25th zone were aware that the S-rank Conqueror had some sort of connection with Sero.

    Defeating Elena immediately granted Sero the right to take the S-rank trial, but defeating Liam soon after pretty much acknowledged him as an S-rank already. Gregor neither denied nor accepted the title on behalf of Sero, stating that it was up to him if he wanted it. There wasn¡¯t a reason not to, so he accepted the title half-heartedly.

    Regarding the aftermath of the match, it seemed as though exhausting Liam¡¯s resources took a greater toll on the Demonic Enforcer than Sero thought, causing the former to be moved to a much more sophisticated medical institution for recovery. Gregor had dealt with the medics who were inquiring about Sero, stating that he was under his private care; this statement also came with its own set of mixed reactions.

    Later, Sero was to attend the official victory ceremony for the tournament, but he knew he¡¯d had to stay low for a little while until the public wouldn¡¯t be suspicious of his almost instantaneous recovery due to the Cat Paradox. Thankfully, Gregor managed to secure two to three days for Sero to take some time to himself.

    As for the appearance of Culling members, Sero was still hesitant to reveal what had happened the night before, as if wanting to have all the pieces of information before sharing it with Amaya and the others. That was all without figuring out how to tell them about Luna as well.

    The succubus fidgeted uncomfortably, tugging at the sleeves of her black top. Her eyes shifted from Sero to the cans of unopened alcohol on the table between them, as if thirsting for them. He hadn¡¯t realized how long he sat there without saying a word and leaned back with a sigh.

    "So, it seems like you were somewhat truthful. You really did assimilate with humans."

    Luna blushed, directing her gaze away. If Sero didn¡¯t know any better, he¡¯d have thought she was a normal human. But the seductive magic radiating off of her was too obvious to overlook.

    "Your kind has such nice things that I¡¯ve never seen before," the succubus admitted. "It¡¯s a nice change of pace from my world."

    "Your world?" Sero leaned forward. "What do you mean by that?"

    Luna tilted her head curiously, as if she didn¡¯t believe Sero was serious in his question. Although he knew she didn¡¯t do it on purpose, her action sent waves of allure and attraction towards him, but it was quickly negated by his Rationality. Sero twitched with surprise as his body buzzed, copying the ¡®Charm¡¯ skill. Was he able to copy skills from non-Ascendants as well?

    "Umm¡­" the succubus began, jolting Sero out of his thoughts. "I know that what you guys call an ¡®outbreak¡¯ is really just a portal that opens between different realms."

    "So¡­ it¡¯s like an invasion? These outbreaks aren¡¯t generated randomly?"

    "I don¡¯t¨C I¡¯m not sure what you mean by that, but no, I don¡¯t believe so. Entire worlds and dimensions exist far beyond even what I can imagine."

    Sero frowned. He had always thought the monster outbreaks were kind of like a dungeon simulator, like in a game. But Luna¡¯s explanation made it seem like these portals were connecting his world to others that actually existed outside his reality.

    He conjured a playing card, throwing it to explode Sting into existence. Luna gave a small yelp of surprise at the unexpected action.

    "Master," the Joker bowed her head in greeting. "How may I assist you?"

    "Sting, this is Luna. Luna, this is Sting, my Joker," Sero briefly introduced them. "I have a question for you. You said you were part of the Cardian race, right?"

    "Yes, Master," Sting affirmed, giving Luna a wary glance.

    "Are the Cardians¡­ do they exist in a different world?"

    Sting turned to Sero, thinking for a moment. "I do not understand exactly what you are asking, but to explain it simply, my race does indeed exist in a separate realm from this one." She glanced around the penthouse. "Although the world I came from does not include these structures and society that I see here."

    "Ok," Sero grunted, rubbing his temples. "So, let me get this straight. The both of you come from somewhere not here, and it turns out you guys existed long before the apocalypse happened."

    Both women nodded, wondering where Sero was going with this.

    "Do you guys know why you were suddenly able to just come over here? And were you aware of my world before crossing over?"

    "No, Master," Sting shook her head, but Luna leaned forward with a contemplative expression.

    "I don¡¯t know why I was able to come over here, but I can say that I was aware of your world. My mistress, the queen, was able to send a few of our kind over to your world every so often, but never en masse until that day. I recall learning that a being referred to as a ¡®Catastrophe¡¯ visited the queen and granted her the ability to force a connection between my world and yours for a period of time."

    At the mention of the word Catastrophe, Sero¡¯s body involuntarily shivered, but he didn¡¯t know why. All he knew about it was what Amaya had said about the Culling¡¯s plans to invoke a catastrophe, which were beginning to line up with Luna¡¯s words.

    "So, what¡¯s a Catastrophe?"

    "Supposedly a being of unimaginable power. It was a rumor we heard about, but hearing it from that woman over there seems to make it real." A familiar voice spoke behind Sero. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Whirling around, he saw Kit standing there, her arms folded with a slight look of annoyance and jealousy on her face. Luna gave a small whimper of fear as Sting bowed her head in greeting.

    "I came to check up on you and maybe cheer you up, but it seems like you¡¯ve already found yourself something new to look at," the Paradox narrowed her eyes, glancing at Sting then at Luna. "Having fun here?"

    "No, this isn¡¯t¨C Sting¡¯s literally my familiar¨C How¡¯d you even get inside?" Sero stammered, caught off guard by Kit¡¯s sudden appearance.

    "Cat Paradox." Kit smiled, but there was a dangerous glint in her mismatched eyes.

    "That never explains anything," Sero vigorously waved a hand. "Wait, that¡¯s not the issue here. Luna is¨C"

    A knock on the door interrupted him. Kit raised an accusing eyebrow before turning and opening his door, revealing Amaya.

    "You called another one over?" The Paradox looked back at Sero, her smile devoid of warmth.

    "No, I just¨C What the hell is happening?"

    "Your text explained nothing to me!" Amaya barged in, immediately taking note of the other three women. Though taken aback, the liaison composed herself, shooting Sero an irritated look. "What do you mean by ¡®Hey, I¡¯m in my room now, good luck with the crowd, see you later¡¯? Do you know how difficult it was to explain to them why I just pulled up to your place by myself?"

    Sero opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Faced with the gazes of four women, he wasn¡¯t exactly sure what he could say in this situation.

    <hr>

    After calming Kit and Amaya down, Sero explained everything in detail, starting with his first encounter with Luna, to fighting the two members of Culling, to learning the true nature of the monster outbreaks and the Catastrophe. He noticed Luna tearing up as he briefly mentioned his father¡¯s passing, comforted that the succubus felt sympathy for him.

    Sero sat on the couch near the entrance to his bedroom, Luna on the sofa to his left, Kit and Amaya on separate reclining chairs in front of him. Sting had been dismissed, hopefully to appease Kit¡¯s strange jealousy.

    As he finished, Sero carefully watched Kit and Amaya¡¯s expressions. While Kit continued to maintain a scarily calm demeanor, it seemed as though she understood the situation. Amaya was not as composed, expressing concern and shock upon hearing Sero¡¯s encounters.

    "So, yeah, that¡¯s pretty much it."

    "This¡­ isn¡¯t good," Amaya chewed on the nail of her thumb. She glanced over at Luna, who had been watching them with a timid look. "We expected Culling to act during the tournament, like within the vicinity. But being active outside of the tournament? Was the information we were given wrong?"

    "Well, I''m just glad you''re safe," Kit sighed, her annoyance finally leaving her. "It seems like you''re always going through something or another."

    Sero smiled wryly. "Yeah, well... guess I''m used to it." He glanced at Luna again, then back at Amaya. "So, what are we going to do about this? I mean, we can''t exactly keep this under wraps anymore, right?"

    "No, we can''t," The Spellblade shook her head. "I''ll inform Gregor and the others about this. Meanwhile, I guess you make sure that Luna is safe. Culling went after once, but there''s no guarantee they''ll just stop pursuing her." Amaya glanced at the succubus.

    "I can take care of myself, you know," Luna protested weakly, but no one paid her any mind.

    Kit glanced at the ceiling, as if lost in thought. "Hmm... I have an idea. There''s a place not too far from here, an inn that''s run by a friend of mine. It''s secluded and well hidden, perfect for someone like Luna to stay in. I can put in a word for her, make sure she''s safe there." She turned to look at Luna, her mismatched eyes narrowing. "You''ll stay there until we can figure things out, understand?"

    "Wait, what''s wrong with Sero''s place?" Luna gave a small pout.

    "It''s not that it''s wrong, exactly," Kit explained, a flash of rage briefly flickering in her eyes. "It''s just that, with the two of you together, it''s not as secure as it should be. You''d be safer at the inn. Trust me."

    "I don''t want to. This place has such nice rooms and amenities, something I never had in my world," Luna folded her arms and sat back on the couch. Sero was reminded of a stubborn child throwing a tantrum. "Besides, I learned that his place just gives out free food."

    "Wait-" Sero jerked his attention to the succubus. "What free food?"

    "I think she''s talking about our deal," Amaya interjected. "You know, where the association will pay for your meals for a whole month."

    "It''s already in effect?" Sero turned to Amaya and then back to Luna with a look of disbelief. "You''ve been leeching off my hard work?"

    "Oh, come on, Sero," Luna whined. "You''re the one who wanted me to come here. And I haven''t been leeching, I''m planning to pay you back for the gold, after all." She gave him a pouty expression. "Besides, you like having me around. You said so yourself."

    "My little bookworm said that?" Sero didn''t need to look at Kit to know how she was feeling. He could sense the murderous aura radiating off of her.

    "I never said that!" Sero hissed. "Don''t just say things without context!"

    Kit snorted. "Oh, please. Like anyone would believe that."

    "No, I actually never- Ugh, whatever, that''s not the point," Sero scowled. "Ok, here''s the plan. Luna will stay here with me since I also have to lay low before the tournament victory ceremony. Amaya, you catch up with Gregor and the others."

    "Very well," The Spellblade nodded, relieved to be left out of the tension. "I''ll inform them and see if we can set up a meeting. We''ll figure out something to do about Culling." With that, she turned to leave the room, heading toward the door. "Take care of each other," she said over her shoulder before quickly disappearing out into the hallway.

    Sero wished that Amaya had stayed for a little longer as he shifted uncomfortably under the scathing gaze from Kit.

    "S-so Kit, do you have anything to do-"

    "I''m staying here, too."

    Kit''s words were cold and calm, her mismatched eyes unblinking as she stared at Sero. There was a quiet intensity about her that made it clear she meant business. Luna, sensing the sudden shift in the air, tensed up, her eyes darting nervously between Sero and Kit.

    "Uh, why?"

    "To keep an eye on you. In case you try to do anything with Luna."

    "Me? Why would I try to do anything with her?" Sero protested, confused by Kit''s attitude.

    "Oh, come on, Sero," Luna butted in. "You can''t be that dense. Kit''s jealous. She thinks you''re into me."

    "I''m into all women!" Sero exclaimed, immediately realizing how that sounded. He forced his embarrassment down. "Besides, why would you be jealous, Kit? You''re absolutely stunning."

    Kit stared at him for a moment. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders dropping as she gave him an apologetic smile.

    "I know I am, Sero. I''m just a little protective of you because you''re so... innocent."

    Sero blinked. "Pardon?"

    Kit got up and walked over to him, cupping his face between her hands. "You act like you''re a flirt, but I can tell you don''t have any real experience."

    "That''s... actually pretty true," Sero admitted with a nervous chuckle. "I mean, I''ve never been in a relationship or anything."

    "And that''s the reason why I get so jealous. I worry that you might get taken away by someone who will treat you very badly," Kit squeezed his cheeks affectionately. "Or you might get hurt, or worse. You''re too sweet for this world, Sero."

    Sero opened his mouth, but blanked out. He hadn''t expected Kit to say that. Honestly, he always thought she did like him in a romantic way, but he knew now that she was just worried about him. Almost like an older sister.

    "Kit... thank you," he finally managed to say. "I mean, you don''t have to worry about me. I''m not going to get hurt or anything. And I promise I''ll take care of Luna, too." He paused, his cheeks feeling warm. "I appreciate your concern, but I think you''re overestimating my innocence. I''m not as sheltered as I seem."

    The Paradox giggled, swooping him into her arms and hugging him tightly. "It''s the things you say that only prove I''m right about you being innocent."

 Chapter 56: Evil Rival Schools

    Later that night, Luna took Sero''s bed as he laid on the couch in the living room. Luna had insisted that she should sleep on the bed, saying that it was more comfortable. Sero began to think that Luna was more human than succubus with how spoiled she was acting.

    Kit had reluctantly taken up the other couch, though she initially wanted to snuggle with Sero under the pretense that it would be easier to keep an eye on him. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to, but it would feel a little strange to do so, especially with everything he had been through on top of what she said earlier.

    He sighed to himself, not wanting to sleep yet. Luna¡¯s snoring permeated through the penthouse, further casting doubt over Sero that she was a succubus. At least Kit wasn¡¯t snoring, though he had a sneaking suspicion she was still awake.

    "Kit?" He called out softly. The Paradox didn¡¯t answer, either pretending to or was actually asleep.

    "Aphiel?" Sero tried to contact the goddess again, yet there was still no response. It was strange, since he figured she¡¯d at least check in before the next day. A growing worry crept over him, wondering if she was either preoccupied with something big, or something worse had happened. Whatever the case was, Sero felt a strong urge to talk to his Sponsor, to gather answers from the questions he had regarding the conversations earlier.

    "Hey, Kit, I¡¯m going to see my Sponsor in her personal space," Sero quietly said. Kit mumbled sleepily, turning over on the couch. At least now he knew she was actually sleeping.

    Concentrating, Sero thought of Aphiel, praying and willing himself to appear before her. There was a tugging sensation on his body, and he soon found himself standing in Aphiel¡¯s personal space for the second time.

    The dimly lit room was empty, still cluttered with books, scrolls, and trinkets strewn everywhere. Her desk was messy as before, now with even more piles of parchment. The fireplace in the opposite corner was dead, traces of smoldering embers signaling that the occupant had just been here earlier.

    Sero glanced over at the small bed, noticing the patchwork quilt had been disturbed. Aphiel had been here earlier, probably during his match, and may have left before the conclusion. If that was the case, then she probably wouldn¡¯t have known everything that happened after Sero¡¯s victory. He didn¡¯t know when she¡¯d be back, so he decided to wait for her, taking a seat at her desk.

    The parchments that littered her desk were filled with strange writing that Sero couldn¡¯t decipher, most likely an archaic or exclusive writing of the gods. He grabbed one of the scrolls, studying the symbols and markings on the paper.

    "Oh, champion?"

    Sero turned around to see Aphiel standing behind him. She wore a simple green hoodie and a pair of jeans. Her emerald eyes were wide with curiosity, with a hint of tiredness lurking beneath. Her light brown hair that used to be straight seemed a little messy, as if Aphiel had just done some exercising.

    "Hey," Sero nodded as he stood up. "I was worried about you, so I came here."

    "I''m sorry if I worried you," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "I was called away on an emergency earlier, and I only just got back. How are you feeling? I take it things have been... eventful since we last spoke?"

    "What''s the last thing you saw through my eyes?" Sero asked.

    Aphiel frowned, seemingly deep in thought. "I saw you win the match. You did quite well, actually. Your newfound confidence and skill are quite impressive. After that, I left to attend to something urgent. What happened after that?"

    Tears suddenly pricked Sero''s eyes. He had pushed aside the sadness he felt after his father passed, preoccupied with the conversation he had concerning the Culling and different worlds. But now the emotions were rushing back, overpowering his Rationality.

    "He''s gone," Sero choked out, his voice barely audible. "He''s just gone."

    "Who- Your father passed away?" Aphiel suddenly looked alarmed, her eyes widening in surprise. "Oh, Sero, I am so sorry. I had no idea. I should have been here for you. I can''t imagine what you must be going through."

    She took a step forward, her hands reaching out to comfort him. Sero didn''t move, his body feeling numb as he fought back the tears. He felt a mixture of emotions: the pain of loss, anger at the gods for allowing it to happen, and confusion over the implications of the Culling. Most of all, he felt despair at the fact that even with this new power he had, he couldn''t hold on to those he loved.

    "It''s not your fault, Sero," Aphiel whispered, her voice gentle and soothing. "You did everything you could. You were a good son, and he was proud of you. You can''t blame yourself for this."

    Sero shook his head, unable to speak as he tried to hold back the tears. He wanted to believe her words, but the pain and guilt were too overwhelming. He felt like he was drowning, and he couldn''t seem to find a way back to the surface.

    For some reason, despite showing his vulnerable side to his friends, Aphiel just felt the most comforting to turn to. Whether it was because she was the first person he met when he was resurrected or the fact that she was a goddess, he couldn''t say for sure. He just knew that she was the one who had the most access to his thoughts and feelings. Even despite her naivety and being gullible, she still possessed knowledge far beyond Sero could imagine. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    "Sorry," Sero managed to take a deep breath, calming himself down. "I didn¡¯t mean to break down. I actually came here to talk about something else."

    "It¡¯s fine, champion," Aphiel murmured, embracing him gently within her arms. It was comforting, reassuring, and Sero realized at that moment that before his father was the first one to hug him, it had been a very long time since he had been held by another person. He had almost forgotten what it was like to have someone care about him.

    "Thanks," Sero quietly said as Aphiel pulled away. His emotions were stable now, kept in check by his Rationality. With his mind cleared, Sero was brimming with questions to ask the goddess, but a new one had come to him during his moment of weakness. "Hey, I noticed you said my name instead of ¡®champion¡¯."

    "Oh," Aphiel flinched before recovering her composure. "My apologies, champion."

    "No, it¡¯s ok," he shook his head. "I¡¯m wondering why you¡¯d use that term instead of my actual name."

    "Well¡­" the goddess coughed into her hand. "It¡¯s more due to strict rules of tradition. Addressing one¡¯s following as ¡®champions¡¯ eliminates the feeling of favoritism. Plus, it makes it easier for the gods to get by without remembering each and every name of their champions."

    "But¡­ I¡¯m the only one you have."

    Aphiel stiffened, a faint blush creeping over her cheeks as she avoided his eyes. "E-even so, I must practice good habits so that later in the future, when I gain new champions, I will not become tempted to fall for favoritism."

    Irritation washed away any traces of sadness Sero had been feeling. "You saying that you¡¯d start to favor other Ascendants over me?"

    "No, it¡¯s not like that! I¡¯ve already grown fond of you¨C" Aphiel covered her mouth in shock. Sero smirked, leaning closer to the flustered goddess.

    "So, I¡¯m growing on you! I knew it."

    Aphiel spluttered, her cheeks reddening even more. "Shut up! It''s just that... being the first one to Ascend under my following, you hold a special place in my heart. It''s not like I''d abandon you for another. Besides, I''m your patron now. It''s my duty to help you."

    Sero felt a warmth spread through his chest at her words. He knew that Aphiel was telling the truth, even if she was still a little embarrassed about it. "Thanks, Aphiel. I appreciate that."

    The goddess averted her eyes as she pouted. "Well, you''re welcome. But I hope you don''t mind me still using ''champion'' sometimes. It''s just such a... comfortable habit, you know?"

    "No, yeah, that''s fine," Sero replied with a small shrug. "I get it. Anyway, I actually came here to talk about something else, something I learned about earlier."

    Sero began to recount the conversation he had with Luna and the others regarding the true nature behind the monster outbreaks and Catastrophes. As he finished, he noticed that Aphiel didn''t seem surprised at all.

    "I''ve known about this for a while now," the goddess admitted, looking solemn. "The truth is, the more powerful you become, the more likely you are to attract the attention of higher entities. Entities that would see you as nothing more than a tool for their own ends."

    "Pardon?" Sero blinked, though a small part of him suspected that Aphiel had been aware. "So you just never bothered to tell me? Do the other gods also keep this from their Ascendants?"

    Aphiel bit her lip and sat on the edge of her bed. "To be frank, champion, the other gods have collectively decided best not to inform your kind about the true nature of the outbreaks, as well as the beings you label Catastrophes. We... wanted to nurture your strength to the point that learning the real origins behind the apocalypse would not overwhelm you, and perhaps one day, when you have grown even stronger, you might be able to face them head-on."

    Sero frowned, crossing his arms. "The real origin? Why did the apocalypse happen? Who or what unleashed it?"

    The goddess couldn''t look Sero in the eyes, shame radiating off of her. A feeling of dread and denial began to rise within him.

    "Did you... have any part in it?"

    Aphiel''s eyes widened in surprise, but then narrowed, her expression hardening. "No. None of the gods had a hand in it. But... there are other forces at work in the universe, champion. Forces older than we are, and far more powerful. The Catastrophes you face are but mere symptoms of a much larger conflict between these forces." The goddess''s face softened with a hint of sadness. "The apocalypse was the best case scenario we could have hoped for."

    "What...what do you mean?"

    "Do you recall me teaching you about the existence of evil gods?"

    Sero nodded slowly, his heart sinking. "The ones that were sealed away because all they want is destruction and to consume?"

    Aphiel bowed her head. "Yes, champion. Your world had been targeted by them long ago, but the gods had been keeping the banished at bay. The apocalypse was a result of a Catastrophe that nearly broke through."

    "Wait," Sero said, his voice cracking. "So, what you''re saying is that the apocalypse wasn''t just some random event? It was... planned?"

    Aphiel made a face. "I would not go so far as to say planned more-so than we did not realize the banished had raised an army capable of that."

    Sero felt himself reeling from the information. It was definitely jarring to know that evil gods had targeted Earth long ago, and even more that gods such as Aphiel existed. But the most unbelievable was that a single entity had that much power to rip open multiple portals to different realms all at once.

    "The Catastrophes... they''re under the evil gods? Like how the Ascendants are your champions?"

    Aphiel sighed and nodded. "Yes, in a sense. But the evil gods do not directly control them. The Catastrophes are a result of the banished gods'' influence on the universe. They''re like... ripples in the fabric of reality, created by their desire for chaos and destruction. The more powerful a banished god becomes, the stronger those ripples grow, and the more likely a Catastrophe will occur."

    "So the reason why outbreaks are still occurring... is because those Catastrophes are trying to come here." Sero now understood what Luna meant.

    "Yes, and worse, the banished gods themselves are beginning to grow more powerful once more. It is only a matter of time before they break free from their prisons and return to wreak havoc upon the universe. When that happens, nothing will be left but chaos and destruction." Aphiel''s voice was solemn, her expression grim. "That is the reason champions like you were made. You are our answer to their Catastrophes."

 Chapter 57: Deadly Competitions

    Sero''s heart raced as he processed the information. The weight of responsibility that came with being an Ascendant felt even greater now that he knew the true stakes. He looked up at Aphiel, confusion clouding his mind. "I don''t get it, why not just tell us this from the start? Why would you guys wait until you feel we''re ready? Why can''t you deal with the catastrophes yourselves?"

    The goddess smiled softly, almost sadly. "We cannot directly interfere with the Catastrophes, champion. In turn, the same is true of the banished with regards to champions. I would love nothing more than to explain why to you, but I do not know the reason why a higher power restricts us from taking matters into our own hands."

    "As for why we wait to inform you when we deem you ready, we are surprisingly divided among that. I was one of the advocates who wanted to tell you beforehand, but the majority had ruled for us not to. In fact, Athena was one of the ones who decided against it, and I assume you know how much influence she has."

    Sero nodded, his expression thoughtful as his Rationality quickly calmed his nerves. "Ok, that doesn''t really explain anything, but we''ll come back to that later. Why do you think the banished gods are getting stronger? Is it because there are fewer gods left to keep them imprisoned?"

    Aphiel shrugged. "It is difficult to say for certain. Some believe it is because their influence has been growing for so long, like water slowly eroding stone. Others think that there is some connection between the number of gods left and their power, but no one has proven this theory yet. All we know is that we must continue to prepare our champions and hope that we can stop the banished before they break free." A faint blush crept over her cheeks. "Also... I''m not an upper-class goddess, so I''m not in the know, either."

    Sero nodded again, understanding. He took a deep breath, trying to process everything. It was a lot to take in, and he still had so many questions. "So, what''s the plan moving forward? What do we need to do?"

    The goddess bit her lip. "Nothing that you have not been doing already. Growing stronger is the only way for you to be prepared for the Catastrophes, should they ever get the chance to cross. Flushing out the Culling organization would be a good start as well, as I have already told you I sensed the banished gods'' energy from them."

    Sero sucked in another breath and let it out slowly. He clicked his tongue in defeat. "Okay. So, I guess I should focus on training and... finding more information about the Culling."

    Aphiel smiled warmly at him. "Yes, that would be wise. I will be watching over you, champion. If you ever need my help, do not hesitate to call upon me." She gestured to the room around them. "Now, if you are ready, I will return you to your world."

    Sero hesitated, feeling a slight apprehension. "If I hadn''t learned about this or gotten involved... would you have ever told me about all of this?"

    Aphiel''s expression turned sad as she considered his question. "I honestly do not know. Perhaps, perhaps not. It is not something that I could have decided on my own. It would have been a decision made by the other gods, and I am not sure which way they would have leaned. If it were up to me, I would have told you the day I met you last year."

    "Oh, right," Sero motioned for Aphiel to proceed with sending him back. A second later, he did a double-take. "Wait, last year?"

    "Yes?" Aphiel cocked her head curiously. "Did you forget?"

    "No, because to me, I met you a few weeks ago," Sero stared at Aphiel as the pieces began to click in his head. "You said you were trying to figure out how to send me back, right? To me it seemed like you were gone for a second."

    "Uh..." Aphiel looked surprised and confused. "I don''t quite understand. When I searched for a way to send you back, it felt like I was gone for a moment, but only because you don''t retain any memories unless another entity is there for it to form. I didn''t realize it was more than that."

    Sero felt himself reeling for the second time, grabbing onto Aphiel''s desk for support. "You''re telling me that when you disappeared... it was for an actual year? And I have no knowledge of that time because no one was present for it to exist?"

    The goddess looked concerned. "Yes, that is correct. I apologize for not making myself clearer. I should have realized that the lack of memory would be disorienting." She placed a hand on his shoulder, offering what comfort she could. "I assure you, I have not been gone for any longer than that. The memories you have of me are accurate relative to your sense of time."

    "No, that''s not- the biggest issue here is that it took you an actual year to send me back! I thought you just botched the spell or ritual or whatever!"

    Aphiel flinched, shrinking as she drew back. "Ok, I''m sorry! But there were no other gods who were willing to lend a hand to a minor goddess such as myself! That was when I began to grow close with Hecate and Isis!" This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Sero paused, feeling his mind nearly melt from how much everything was beginning to fit into place.

    "Oh. That''s why you''re spending so much time with them." Sero dropped his shoulders, looking at the goddess in a new light. The irritation that had been brewing within him fizzled out like a candle. Even though she didn''t say it out loud, he had a vague feeling that the reason Aphiel had been learning more magic was because she may have felt the need to be prepared in the case that something like Sero''s resurrection came up again. It would answer his question as to why Aphiel needed it instead of relying on her divinity. "No, don''t apologize. I''m the one who should be sorry. You were just helping me out."

    Aphiel sniffed, her usual composure returning. "It is nothing. I am simply grateful for the opportunity to help you." She smiled warmly, causing Sero to feel guilty.

    "Thanks," he muttered, remembering his vow to treat the goddess better. "I¡¯m assuming you don¡¯t want me to tell the others about this?"

    Aphiel shook her head, her hair falling into place as if by magic. "Actually, there are no qualms with champions informing others if they are aware of it. Only the gods are forbidden until their champions learn or they are deemed ready for it."

    "That¡¯s so arbitrary. Not to mention it doesn¡¯t make sense. If we were exposed to the apocalypse already, then I¡¯m pretty sure learning about their true origins and Catastrophes wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference."

    "Yes, but champion, you forget," Aphiel gazed at him with amusement. "Your Scholar class allows you to intake information more calmly and collected than others. There is no guarantee that other champions would take this news as smoothly as you did."

    "True¡­" Sero admitted, thinking of Amaya and Casey. The only other people who would probably take this in stride would be Gregor and Kit for sure; the rest may need some more time to process everything. He didn¡¯t want to imagine how the rest of the world would react to learning that the portals were actual gateways to real worlds outside of theirs or that there were terrifying entities that wanted to come here.

    "So, to sum it up, you guys are at war with evil gods to prevent the destruction of my world. We Ascendants are your version of their Catastrophes. And other worlds outside of mine have existed since forever."

    Aphiel slowly nodded. "A bit simpler than I would like, but yes, that is the very basis of it."

    "How do I find this Catastrophe and stop them from doing this? Are there more than one? If I stop them, do the portals stop happening, too? But, you said that they spawn from the influence of evil gods, so wouldn¡¯t I have to go up against them if I want to prevent Catastrophes from being born?" The questions tumbled out of his mouth.

    "Uh," the goddess frantically waved a hand to stop him. "Wait, that¡¯s too many questions! Let me think for a second!"

    Sero shut his mouth, impatiently waiting for Aphiel to collect her thoughts. The goddess squirmed under his gaze before she finally seemed ready.

    "Ok, in the most concise way I can, it is nearly impossible to find a Catastrophe without crossing over into their realm, which I highly advise against, since they are at their peak in their territory. They grow stronger with every human soul that is harvested by their followers, which explains those monster outbreaks. The ones you label as ¡®boss monsters¡¯ typically were endowed with a Catastrophe¡¯s blessing that enabled them to create an outbreak."

    Sero absorbed her words, finding them to align with what Luna had said about her queen meeting with a Catastrophe. It also explained his encounter before the finals- the two members of Culling that wanted to capture Luna would essentially use her abilities to lure sacrifices to invoke a Catastrophe over.

    "It pains me to admit it, but I do not see an end to this anytime soon," Aphiel continued with a solemn tone. "No matter how many Catastrophes you prevent, they will always spawn as long as the influence of the banished continues to plague your world. Extinguishing Culling would only be a temporary solution."

    "It¡¯s an endless war," Sero realized the weight of her words. "There will never be peace here."

    Aphiel bowed her head and said nothing.

    "Well, then, why Earth? Why this world instead of others? Why does it always gotta be this place for shit to happen?" Sero grumbled the last part to himself.

    "That¡¯s¡­" Aphiel trailed off, causing Sero to click his tongue in annoyance. He knew she would eventually tell him when he was either ready for it, or stumbled upon whatever it was she couldn¡¯t reveal.

    "It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve gotten most of the answers I needed anyway." Sero sighed and began to concentrate on returning. "Thanks for everything, Aphiel."

    "I am sorry I cannot tell you more, champion," the goddess gave an apologetic smile. "But, hopefully you are able to prepare well for the future."

    "More work for me to do," Sero scowled, feeling his body being tugged away. "And I thought the Ascendants Tournament was the most effort I¡¯d have to give."

    Aphiel gave Sero an adorable wave goodbye before his world blurred and shifted.

    <hr>

    After he got back to his penthouse, Sero still found himself unable to sleep, pondering over the conversations he had earlier. Kit had stirred in her slumber when he came back, scaring him into thinking she¡¯d awaken, but thankfully the Paradox never did.

    A dull ache still pestered him, reminding Sero that he needed to figure out what he wanted to do in terms of his father¡¯s passing. Since he was the only one remaining within his family with no other known relatives, Sero contemplated holding a funeral for his father while he laid low before the victory ceremony. It¡¯d be quite easy to organize, since there weren¡¯t many people he wanted to gather for his father¡¯s funeral, nor was there anything special that Tiero would¡¯ve liked him to do.

    Sero turned on his side, hugging one of the couch pillows tightly. Luna¡¯s snoring had gradually become a steady white noise, making him drowsy as he focused on the sound instead of his thoughts. He decided to deal with everything tomorrow, feeling a wave of exhaustion settling into him as he closed his eyes.

 Chapter 58: Itâ€™s Okay to be Vulnerable

    The next morning felt like a blur, with Sero spending most of his time at his penthouse. He made phone calls to his father¡¯s hospital and funeral services, trying to organize everything for the event. Scheduling it for tomorrow afternoon, he mulled over who he wanted to attend.

    Luna and Kit kept him company, though he was so distracted that he barely engaged in conversation with them, leading the two to attempt to socialize with each other. Despite Luna trying her best to be friendly with Kit, the Paradox continued to keep a wary distance from her, but she slowly warmed up after they began drinking together later in the afternoon.

    The sun was high in the sky as Sero glanced over the documents that littered his desk. Out in the living room, he could hear the women giggling at something they were watching on his TV.

    The papers in front of him seemed to blend together as he tried to read through them. Some were related to the tournament, asking for his signature and basic information before the victory ceremony while the rest concerned legal issues pertaining to his father¡¯s release from the hospital and funeral agreements.

    Sero leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. Whether it was conscious or not, his Scholar abilities refused to aid in his work, though he suspected that it was because he himself did not want to deal with the paperwork.

    Opting for a break, Sero went out to his living room, finding Kit and Luna a few cans in and feasting on grilled seafood.

    "Hey Sero," the succubus slurred. "Want to join us?"

    "Yeah, I haven¡¯t seen you eat lunch yet," Kit gestured for him to sit between them on the couch with a pat, seemingly more sober than Luna. "Come take a break."

    "Well, that does smell pretty good," Sero admitted, sitting down between the two women. He took a can and a plate from Kit, who smiled at him. He popped the can open and took a long drink before digging in, enjoying the taste of the grilled seafood. After his first bite, Sero glanced at Luna.

    "Seems like you''re really leaning into human life," he remarked to the succubus, who blushed before sipping her drink. "Usually humans wait until later in the day to start drinking."

    "Well, I''m not exactly human, am I?" Luna tipsily replied with a sigh. "And besides, I wanted to have some fun before everything gets serious again."

    Sero slowed his chewing. He could understand where Luna was coming from, since he himself was about to be thrown into things he needed to do. It was slightly ironic, having a succubus remind him how to be human.

    "She''s right," Kit grinned as she gently elbowed Sero''s side. "You have a whole day to spend with us before your victory ceremony, among other things. Why not have some fun?"

    "I''m pretty sure you''re not talking about what I''m thinking of, but don''t you have things to do, Kit?" Sero paused and shook his head. "Never mind, Cat Paradox."

    Kit stuck her tongue out playfully before raising her can. "Cheers!"

    Sero smiled and clinked his can against hers before taking a long drink. The alcohol burned its way down his throat, making him feel a bit more relaxed. "I suppose I could use a break," he admitted, setting his empty can aside. "I just don''t want to think about everything right now."

    The women beside him fell silent, their laughter replaced by an understanding that was far more intimate. Luna reached out, her long, slender fingers brushing against his hand. "Although human emotion is something I experience second-hand," she began softly, her voice thick with emotion. "I''m still able to understand what you''re going through."

    Sero nodded his thanks, quietly setting his plate down. Kit made a face, popping open another can and handing it to him.

    "Let''s push that aside for today!"

    Kit''s words seemed to snap them out of their shared melancholy. She grinned, her mismatched eyes gleaming with mischief. "We should enjoy ourselves while we can! After all, tomorrow''s a big day for you, Sero..." She trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.

    As he took the can from her, Sero offered a weak smile. "No, you''re right. With everything that happened, I feel like we deserve a break. Cheers."

    The three of them drank, the alcohol slowly loosening the knot in Sero''s stomach. They continued to eat and chat about mundane things, like the latest movies or TV shows. It was oddly comforting, having these two women beside him, sharing in the simple pleasures of life.

    When the sun began to set, they found themselves out of alcohol, to which Kit coerced Enzo to go get them more. The Demonic Judge was scowling as he entered Sero''s penthouse holding cases and bottles of alcohol, but soon joined them in drinking.

    "Nice place you got here," Enzo begrudgingly admitted as he downed a shot and loosened his tie. "A little smaller than mine, though."

    "Oh, you''re just jealous," Luna teased, batting her eyelashes at him with flushed cheeks. "I bet your place isn''t nearly as cozy."

    "You''re right about that," Kit giggled, Sero already trapped within her clutches. The Paradox seemed relieved that Luna had taken an interest in the Demonic Judge, leaving Sero free. "Enzo''s place is just filled with lame decorations like vintage bottles and paintings and statues."

    "Vintage, you say?" Enzo retorted, his expression turning dark. "Those are antiques, get it right!"

    "Uh-oh, he''s drunk already," Kit stuck her tongue out. "Can''t handle his alcohol."

    As the night descended, they continued to drink and chat, the conversation flowing effortlessly. Sero found himself lost in their laughter, feeling more at ease than he had in years. Even Enzo seemed to loosen up, joining in on the banter instead of scowling at everyone.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Later, Amaya arrived at his penthouse after her shift, bringing Nala along with a platter of grilled meat and drinks. The pair was initially taken aback by the drunkenness of the four before joining in.

    "You know," Amaya slurred as she sat down beside Sero, "it''s not often you see Enzo being all... friendly." She giggled, earning a grunt from the Demonic Judge.

    "I never said I wasn''t," Enzo scowled, his face red from the alcohol. He had taken off his blazer and tie, rolling his sleeves up to reveal more tattoos. "You just haven''t been around me long enough."

    "Oh? Are you inviting me to spend more time with you?" The liaison boldly replied. Next to her, Sero drunkenly admired her newfound courage, raising an eyebrow at her. Luna seemed to notice the tension between Amaya and Enzo, a sour expression developing on her face.

    "Well, you never know," Enzo grinned, his voice suddenly much more friendly. "I could show you a thing or two about having a good time." His eyes flicked over to Sero, and he smirked. "Or you could just hang out with Sero here. He''s usually pretty fun."

    "No, no, you should definitely hang with Enzo," Kit quickly pulled Sero towards her. "He has a lot more free time."

    "How do you know that?" Enzo scowled.

    "Oh, come on, you know you like me," Amaya grinned. "Besides, it''s not like you can resist my charm." She batted her eyelashes, and the Demonic Judge could only sigh. Sero shared a surprised look with Nala.

    "Well, I''ll keep that in mind," Enzo said with a smirk, taking another sip of his drink. "But for now, let''s just enjoy the night. Who''s up for another round of drinks?"

    <hr>

    Soon, the six of them grew even rowdier, laughing and singing along to songs on the karaoke machine. Enzo was surprisingly good at it, his deep voice carrying through the room as he belted out classic tunes. Luna joined in, her voice blending beautifully with his. Nala, meanwhile, was content to sit back and watch them all, a small smile on her face. As the night wore on, they began to play party games that involved drinking more as punishment for losing. Sero even invoked the deal he made with Nala, forcing her to perform embarrassing actions since she now had to follow his every command for a week.

    In the back of his mind, Sero felt a huge gratitude for his friends, noting that his penthouse didn''t seem so empty anymore. The night was full of laughter, and for the first time in years, he felt truly happy. Nala seemed to express more emotions than usual, her eyes wide with excitement and amusement. Luna and Amaya were having a blast, giggling and dancing around each other. Kit was in her element, always the center of attention with her contagious energy. Even Enzo, usually so serious and brooding, was letting loose and showing a softer side.

    Slowly, the energy began to wind down as it neared midnight. Everyone had ended up too intoxicated to go home, Kit included, so Sero offered his place for them to sleep it off. He had an extra room and blankets that were rarely used, and he figured it would be better than leaving them on the streets or calling a cab.

    Before calling the night, Sero found the courage to invite them all to his father¡¯s funeral, to which they all accepted, including Enzo. Nala asked if Gregor could also come; Amaya inquired about Casey as well. Sero blindly consented and showed his guests the available rooms.

    Once again, Luna took over his entire bedroom, though she was content with letting Kit share it with her. Nala offered to sleep on the floor or on the couches in the living room, giving Enzo and Amaya a knowing look.

    "W-well, it''s Sero''s place, so only if he''s ok with it," the liaison blushed, glancing at him. He smiled reassuringly and gestured for her to go ahead. As Kit and Luna tried to coax Nala into bed with them, Enzo and Amaya went into the spare room. Sero found himself lying alone in the living room.

    "You''re sure you don''t want me to share a room with you?" Nala asked, hanging in the doorway of his bedroom. "I could sleep on the couch, or even take the floor if you want."

    "No, it''s fine," Sero replied softly. "I don''t mind. You should get some rest." Nala hesitated for a moment, then nodded and retreated to the bedroom. Alone again in the living room, Sero stared up at the ceiling, listening to the muffled sounds of laughter and movement from the bedrooms. His mind drifted back to the night''s events, wondering how things had changed so much in just one evening.

    He didn''t know how much time had passed, but he was suddenly aware of light footsteps exiting one of the rooms and coming towards him. Blinking in the night, Sero drunkenly realized Amaya was standing in front of him.

    "You okay, Sero?" she asked, her voice soft and concerned.

    "Huh? Y-yeah," Sero sat up on the couch. "What about you? Didn''t you and Enzo... I mean, did anything-"

    Amaya frantically shook her head, a deep blush blossoming across her face. "No, no! I would never do anything like that outside of my own place. Though, we did cuddle for a bit..."

    Her words trailed off as she leaned closer to Sero, eyes searching his face. The alcohol seemed to have made her more courageous, or perhaps it was just the night itself. Whatever the reason, Sero found himself caught off guard by her actions.

    "What are you doing?"

    "I don''t know..." Amaya''s voice was barely a whisper, her breath hot on his face. She leaned closer still, her hands tentatively reaching out to touch his cheek. "I just know that you''re feeling the same emotions I felt after my parents and my sister passed away."

    Sero''s heart thudded in his chest as he looked into her eyes. There was a depth of sadness and longing there that he had never seen before, even when they had cried together. Did his father''s death also trigger Amaya in some way?

    "I think... I think I know what you mean," he said softly, his voice barely audible over the sound of their ragged breathing. He reached up to touch her hand, her skin soft and warm against his own. "I just never expected to feel this way again."

    Amaya crawled on top of him, burying her face within his chest. He could feel her body shaking as she sobbed, her tears soaking through his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, feeling the warmth of her skin against his own.

    In that moment, he could feel the pain and loneliness Amaya had endured for so long, realizing that she probably never had the chance to really grieve for her family since the apocalypse forced her to focus on surviving. He held her close, stroking her hair, offering her whatever comfort he could give. She had been there to comfort him when his father passed, and Sero wanted to return the favor.

    After a while, the Spellblade''s tears subsided, but she remained within his arms, sniffing silently to herself. Although it was a strange situation to be in, Sero didn''t say anything, wanting to let Amaya get everything out of her system.

    Eventually, she pulled away and sat up, wiping the last of her tears from her face. "I''m sorry for that," she said softly. "I didn''t mean to... you know."

    "No, it''s ok," Sero shook his head. "You saw me break down, so I''m not one to judge. I just hope I helped you feel better, even if it''s a little bit."

    Amaya looked at Sero, her expression softening. "You did. Thank you, Sero. For everything." She shifted awkwardly, as if deciding what to do next.

    "What?" He asked, confused by her behavior.

    The liaison timidly met his eyes.

    "If you don''t mind... could I just lay here with you? Only for tonight."

    Sero blinked in surprise. "Oh, uh... what about Enzo?"

    "He''s out for the night. He didn''t mind." Amaya smiled weakly. "Or rather, he could sense something was up with me."

    Sero nodded, understanding. He patted the spot beside him on the couch, inviting her to lie down. She hesitated for a moment before slowly crawling over to him, curling up against his side. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close, feeling the warmth of her body against his. They lay there in silence, the only sound the gentle rhythm of their breathing until the both of them soon fell asleep.

 Chapter 59: Final Rest

    The next morning, Sero awoke to find Amaya still curled up against him. She was soft and warm, and he couldn''t help but enjoy the feeling of her body pressed against his. For a moment, he considered trying to sneak off of the couch without waking her, but he decided against it. There was something comforting about having her here, and he didn''t want to ruin the moment by rushing things.

    Amaya stirred slightly, shifting against him as she slowly came to consciousness. She let out a soft yawn, her face still nestled against Sero''s chest. He could feel her breath against his skin, and it sent a shiver down his spine. "Good morning," she murmured softly. A few seconds later, she immediately shot up.

    "I''m sorry! I forgot we were..." She looked around, suddenly self-conscious. "I didn''t mean to..."

    Sero smirked. "Hey, no worries. I knew you''d eventually warm up to me."

    Amaya glared at him, though it wasn''t the same glare she used to have whenever he''d do or say things like that. It was more of a playful glare, like she was teasing him back. "Oh, so you think you''re so funny, huh?" she said, her voice slightly higher-pitched than usual.

    "Who''s funny?" Nala shuffled out of Sero''s bedroom, sleepily rubbing her eyes as Kit and Luna trailed after her. The three women froze upon seeing Amaya sitting on top of Sero.

    Near the exit, the door to the spare room opened and out walked Enzo fully dressed in his suit, though he wore a black dress shirt instead of his usual white. He took one look at the situation, nodded at Sero, and walked back into the spare room.

    "Um... this isn''t what it looks like!" Amaya sputtered, her face flushing a deep shade of red. Nala and Luna exchanged glances, while Kit stood smiling, though there was no warmth behind it.

    "All we did was cuddle," Sero added, though he immediately realized it was the wrong thing to say as all four women turned to him in shock.

    "Cuddle?" Nala repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. "You mean you were cuddling all night?" The Shadereaper was expressing clear confusion and curiosity as she gazed at her two friends. Luna was amused, almost excited, but Kit was giving out death glares aimed mostly at Sero.

    "Well... yes..." Amaya quickly climbed off of Sero. "I was just feeling sad, and he comforted me. But that''s all! Nothing else happened."

    Sero nodded, "Yeah, that''s right. We just... slept like that."

    Amaya shot him a glare, "You''re making it worse!"

    Sero raised his hands, but before he could apologize, Kit cleared her throat.

    "Well, I''m glad everything''s all sorted out," she said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Now, I''m going to go take a shower. We should get ready for the funeral soon." With that, she turned around and headed back into Sero''s bedroom.

    "Fuck," Sero swore to himself, remembering how he had extended the invitation to his friends.

    <hr>

    After everyone got over the initial shock of seeing Amaya and Sero laying together, they quickly got ready to head over to the funeral home.

    Standing in front of his dresser mirror, Sero scowled as he tried to fix his tie.

    "Need some help?"

    He turned, seeing Amaya stepping into his room. She was dressed in a simple black dress that hugged her curves, her silver hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. Her makeup was light, emphasizing her natural beauty. Sero couldn''t help but think that she was stunning, though the morning''s event snapped him out of it. "Um... yeah, sure," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

    Wordlessly, the liaison stood in front of him, tying his tie for him. Her blue eyes were filled with sadness as she adjusted his suit. It took her only a few moments before she stepped back and gave him a nod of approval. "There," she said softly, "you look nice."

    "Thanks," he said quietly. "You look great, too."

    Though he expected her to make a face at his comment, Amaya simply smiled softly. It was as if she knew his flirtatious behavior was just his way of coping.

    "Well, it looks like you''re wrong about you never wearing a suit."

    "What? Oh, right," Sero mumbled, gazing away. "This is different, though."

    Amaya chuckled softly, a sound that was at once melancholic and comforting. "Well, I suppose it is. But you still look good." She stepped back, giving him a once-over. "You ready?"You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    He sucked in a deep breath. "Honestly, no. No amount of time will ever prepare me for this. But, I know I gotta get through this funeral one way or another."

    Amaya placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You''re right. We''ll get through this together." Her voice was soft and soothing, like a gentle breeze on a warm summer''s day. Sero had always found the Spellblade attractive, but after mourning the loss of their respective family members together as well as finding comfort in each other, he began to feel something new for her.

    "Yeah," Sero turned away from her, slightly fearful of this new sensation. "Let''s do that." They walked out of Sero''s room and into the living room where the others were waiting. Sero took a deep breath, gazing at Kit, Luna, Nala, and Enzo. They were all dressed in their Sunday best, looking solemn and respectful. He felt a lump form in his throat as he took in their expressions.

    "I know we haven''t known each other for very long," Sero''s voice cracked, causing him to clear his throat and try again. "But, thanks for being here for me today. And thank you Luna, for also joining, even though you''re new here."

    He looked at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering on Amaya for a moment longer than the others. She smiled gently back at him, her expression understanding and reassuring. Sero ripped his gaze away, turning to the door. "Let''s go."

    <hr>

    As the group pulled up to the funeral home, Gregor and Casey were already waiting for them.

    "My condolences, Sero," the Conqueror rumbled as Casey stepped up.

    "Sorry for your loss, Mr. Sero," the young boy wrapped his arms around Sero''s waist, hugging him gently. It was a small and simple gesture, but for some reason it made Sero feel both better and worse. Casey''s grandmother was also afflicted with the Outbreak Plague, and if Tiero wasn''t able to survive the disease, then it was only a matter of time before the boy''s grandmother would succumb to it as well.

    The group exchanged solemn nods before following the staff inside. The funeral director led them to a small chapel where several rows of pews were arranged in front of a simple altar. The room was filled with the scent of flowers and the sound of soft organ music.

    Maybe because there was no one else besides them in the chapel, or that it was smaller than Sero expected, but the casket up ahead seemed to command all attention towards it.

    It was a simple oak coffin, adorned with a single bouquet of flowers at its head. The nameplate on the coffin read "Tiero Kassel." It was hard for Sero to believe that this was the same man who had been alive just a few days ago, who had always been there for him. Now, he was gone.

    Sero sat in the only chair directly in front of the casket, the others taking their seats in the pews behind him. He didn''t want to, but he forced himself to gaze into the casket.

    Tiero''s face was serene, almost peaceful. Sero swallowed hard, feeling a lump forming in his throat. He half-expected to see Tiero''s chest rise and fall with each breath, but it was only the gentle rise and fall of the organ music that filled the chapel.

    The service began, but Sero wasn''t really listening to the words being spoken. He was lost in his own thoughts, remembering the times they''d spent together. The way Tiero would laugh, the stories he''d tell, the advice he''d given. It all came flooding back to him, and for a moment, it felt like Tiero was still here. Regret filled his entire being as Sero cursed himself for the way he abandoned his father.

    He should have been there for him. He should have taken care of him. He should have tried harder. But it was too late now. The guilt threatened to overwhelm him, but he forced it down, refusing to let it consume him entirely. Instead, he focused on the people around him.

    "And now, to provide the closing eulogy, the deceased''s son, Sero Kassel." The funeral director gestured towards Sero, who slowly rose from his seat. He took a deep breath, steadying himself as he walked up to the altar. He looked out at the people gathered in the chapel, his gaze meeting with each person in turn.

    "Um, I didn''t really prepare a speech," Sero mumbled, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat and began again, "I just wanted to say a few words about my father." He paused, taking another deep breath.

    "Tiero was an amazing man. He wasn''t perfect, but who is? He worked hard his whole life, and he loved me more than anything else in this world. He was my best friend, my mentor, and my hero. I can''t even begin to describe how much I''m going to miss him." Sero''s voice broke, and tears welled up in his eyes. He blinked them back, not wanting to lose his composure.

    "Instead of saying things I regret or that I''ll miss about him, I''ll end by saying that I''ll continue to do things that I know my father would be proud of," Sero continued, his voice a little stronger now. "I won''t run away, nor will I give up when I get overwhelmed. I know you''re looking down at me, Dad. And I promise, I''ll make you proud."

    Sero took a step back from the altar, wiping away the tears that had escaped his control. The organ music began to play again, filling the chapel with its somber notes. The funeral director nodded at Sero, signaling that it was time for the group to proceed to the cemetery.

    <hr>

    The afternoon was hot, the sun blazing down upon them as the small group stood around Tiero''s burial. Sero felt as though his heart was being torn in two, wanting to be both here and with his father at the same time. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, trying to find some semblance of peace. It wasn''t the best time for him to realize his Rationality only worked if put in all his concentration on calming himself.

    The minister spoke words of comfort and hope, reminding them all that their loved one was now at peace. As the coffin began to sink into the ground, Sero felt a tightness in his chest, a physical ache that seemed to spread throughout his entire being. He fought back tears, not wanting to break down in front of the group for a second time.

    He felt a soft hand squeezing his reassuringly, and looked over to see Amaya standing next to him. She gave him a small smile, her eyes glistening with tears. "It''s going to be okay," she whispered. Sero felt another squeeze on his other hand, glancing down to see Casey there. The boy didn''t say a word, but the look in his eyes said everything.

    With both of them standing by his sides, Sero couldn''t hold back, letting the tears flow quietly down his face. He leaned his head on Amaya''s shoulder, feeling her steady presence as she held him up. She rubbed his back soothingly, her touch gentle and comforting. The earth around them muffled the sound of their sobs as they mourned the loss of their friend and father.

 Chapter 60: Coping Mechanisms

    Spaced out, Sero blinked as he realized that the group had arrived back at his penthouse. Strangely, there were no crowds out in front, but he figured that Kit had dealt with them somehow.

    Getting out of Amaya''s car, he noticed Gregor and Casey had followed the group back as well.

    "Oh... are all of you guys coming up?" Sero asked the group.

    "I have other matters to attend to with my Janitors regarding the information Miss Cromwell shared with us," Gregor glanced at Amaya. "But, Casey here insisted on keeping you company."

    Sero nodded, looking over at the boy who stood beside Luna. He was still wearing the somber expression he''d had since the funeral, but there was a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. Sero couldn''t help but return the smile, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. He was grateful for Casey''s presence.

    Enzo stepped up to Sero, a grimace on his face. Confused, Sero didn''t know what the Demonic Judge was doing until the latter placed a hand on his shoulder.

    "I may not know what a good father can be like, but I can tell he was a great one to you," Enzo said softly. "He raised you well. You should be proud of that."

    Sero opened his mouth, but no words came out. He was definitely not expecting the hardened and cold Enzo to offer comfort. He nodded, feeling a little choked up, but he managed to reply, his voice hoarse, "Thanks, Enzo."

    A pair of arms wrapped around him and he turned his head to see Kit. She held him close, her body warm against his. He could feel her heartbeat, steady and strong. "I''m here for you too, you know," she murmured. "You can lean on me anytime you need to. Or cuddle with me."

    "I... I know. Thank you too, Kit."

    The Paradox reluctantly released him after a while, joining Enzo and Gregor.

    "I need to be at the meeting as well, but I''ll pop over as soon as I''m done," Kit promised as she walked with the two men to their car. "You better not do anything with Luna, or teach Casey the wrong things."

    Sero chuckled, a real laugh this time. "I won''t. I promise. You just focus on the meeting. I''ll be fine."

    After the three S-ranks left first, he turned to Amaya and Nala. "You guys coming up too?"

    "I actually need to get back to the Ascendants Association," Amaya replied, suddenly unable to meet his gaze. "But, I''ll also swing by after work. You guys take it easy."

    Sero nodded, understanding her need to attend to her own affairs. Without a second thought, he stepped forward and gave Amaya a quick hug. "Thanks for everything," he whispered. "I appreciate it."

    He didn''t think much of it, but after breaking away and seeing the faint blush on her cheeks, he felt a warmth spread through his chest. He waved goodbye as she left, watching her walk to her car. Then, with a deep breath, he turned to Nala. The Shadereaper''s eyebrows were raised, a surprising display of intense curiosity in her violet eyes.

    "What?" Sero shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

    Nala''s violet eyes narrowed slightly, but she seemed to sense his discomfort and let it go with a shrug. "Nothing. Just...you and Amaya seem different today."

    Sero felt his face grow hot, but he kept his composure, flashing a fake grin. "Is that so? Maybe she''s finally falling for my looks."

    Luna suddenly entered his view, her face inches away from his as the succubus scrutinized his expressions. "I don''t think so. I think it might be the opposite."

    "W-what do you mean?"

    "Mr. Sero, do you have a crush on Miss Amaya?" Casey innocently chimed in.

    "No! Of course not. That''s ridiculous. She''s my liaison," Sero said, trying to sound more convincing than he felt.

    "Is she really?" Nala tilted her head. "I mean, she definitely helped you in the beginning, but now you''re doing well without her help."

    "Well, I appreciate everything she does for me," Sero admitted. "She''s a good liaison, I guess. It''s just that...she''s a good friend too." He glanced at Luna, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "I mean, we get along well. That''s all."

    The succubus seemed skeptical, but she shrugged, heading towards the entrance. "Call it whatever you want. Just remember that my kind can literally see feelings and emotions."

    Sero watched Nala and Casey follow Luna inside the penthouse building, a bit fearful that the succubus may have been right about his feelings. He hadn''t really thought about it that way before, but now that it was pointed out... he wasn''t sure what it was he was feeling.

    <hr>

    Summoning Moss and Lime, Sero watched his dragon pups play with Casey, Luna, and Nala in his penthouse. He was grateful for their company, but he couldn''t help but feel a little off. Something was nagging at the back of his mind, and it had been there ever since he learned more about the Catastrophes and the origins of the monster outbreaks.

    "Oh, fuck," Sero whispered to himself. "I forgot to let the others know." He planned to tell everyone the day after he found out, but had been so preoccupied with paperwork and his father''s funeral that it slipped his mind. Not to mention that everyone began drinking, and the fact that he and Amaya had¡­This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    He cut that thought off quickly. He didn''t want to think about that now. Instead, he forced himself to just relax. The others were enjoying their time, and he didn''t want to ruin the mood. He''d just have to find the right moment to talk to them. Maybe he''d just text the information to one of the others.

    As he opened his phone, Sero didn''t realize he was on autopilot until he was staring at his chats with Amaya. The last message he had received from her was from two days ago, and it was a simple ''How are you holding up?'' with a concerned emoji. His thumb hovered over the message, wanting to respond, but not knowing what to say. His thoughts kept returning to their earlier encounter, and he couldn''t shake the feeling that something had changed between them.

    Sero quickly opened up his chat with Gregor, deciding to text him everything he knew instead. He explained about the Catastrophes, the monster outbreaks, and the potential goals of Culling. He ended the message with a request to meet up with him and the others tomorrow after his victory ceremony, to discuss what they should do.

    After putting away his phone, Sero felt his stomach growl, realizing that he hadn''t eaten lunch yet. His father''s funeral had suppressed his appetite, but now that he was somewhat emotionally stable, his hunger gnawed at him. He glanced at Casey, Nala, and Luna with a forced smile. "You guys mind if I order something to eat? I didn''t realize I was this hungry."

    <hr>

    Despite having company over, Sero still felt a little uneasy. He had ordered pizza for the group and tried to focus on the conversation, but his mind kept wandering back to the information he''d shared with Gregor. While he still wanted to achieve his dream of a comfortable and lazy life, the promise he made with his father and the revelations about Culling weighed heavily on his heart.

    Sero sighed, deciding that he''d deal with that tomorrow. For now, all he wanted was to just enjoy the company and the food. He smiled at the others, hoping that they couldn''t sense the turmoil within him. They were all good people, and he didn''t want to burden them with his problems.

    "Mr. Sero," Casey began as he struggled to wrestle his slice of pizza away from Lime. "I''ve been meaning to ask you something." He glanced around, making sure no one else was listening. "Are you still going to help me get stronger?"

    Sero blinked in surprise, almost forgetting about the promise he made with the boy. "Oh, uh, yeah, of course," he said, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "I never go back on my word."

    Giving up on reclaiming his pizza, Casey stood straight and saluted Sero, a determined look in his orange eyes. "Thanks, Mr. Sero, sir! I''ll make sure to work hard and not disappoint you." Nala and Luna laughed, but there was a note of sincerity in their voices as well. Sero felt a surge of pride at being looked up to by the young boy.

    "We''ll start after my victory ceremony tomorrow, but for now let''s get a gauge of where you''re at. You said you''re a Mage, right? Have you been using any skills or practiced any combat?"

    "Yeah, I''ve been practicing a lot!" Casey said eagerly, sitting back down. "I can cast some basic elemental spells, and I''ve been training my mana efficiency with Miss Amaya. I''ve gotten pretty good at dodging and blocking too!"

    "Oh? Which elemental spells?" Sero asked, a hint of greed creeping in his voice. Nala shot him an amused but disapproving look.

    "I can cast Fire Blast, Ice Shard, and Wind Rush," Casey said, obviously proud of himself. "I''m still working on Earth Spike and Lightning Bolt, but I think I''m getting the hang of it! Miss Amaya said that I have an appetite for magic!"

    "Aptitude," Nala corrected.

    "Show me Ice Shard and Wind Rush," Sero licked his lips eagerly. "But make sure you don''t mess up my penthouse."

    Casey nodded, focusing his energy into a small sphere of golden ice in his hand. The air around him seemed to cool as he channeled his magic, and with a flick of his wrist, the sphere shot forward, leaving a trail of bright yellow frost in its wake. It hit the far wall with a satisfying thud, and a cloud of mist rose up from the impact site.

    "Dude, I just told you to be careful!" Sero exclaimed, jumping to his feet even as he copied the skill. Nala and Luna laughed as Casey turned to face him, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

    "I''m s-sorry..." Casey stammered, his face still bright red. "I didn''t think it would hit that hard..." He wiped the sweat from his brow and tried to steady his breathing.

    Sero sighed, feeling the anger immediately leave his body. He knelt down in front of Casey with a reassuring smile. "It''s okay, kid. You''re still learning. Just remember to control your power, and we''ll be fine." He patted the boy on the shoulder. "Now, show me Wind Rush, and please try not to hit anything."

    Casey nodded, taking a deep breath to steady himself. He closed his eyes and focused, feeling the wind around him begin to swirl. With a gust of slightly yellow air, the chilled room was filled with the sound of whistling wind. A tornado of yellow leaves and paper spun around Casey, dancing in the air as if obeying his every command. The twister rose up, higher and higher, until it was nearly touching the ceiling.

    "Where did all these leaves come from?" Sero muttered to himself as he copied Wind Rush. It was basically the same feeling as casting a Fire or Water Blast, but with more precision and control. He could feel the wind dancing around his fingers, almost like a living thing. He took a step back and experimented with pushing the wind in different directions, forcing it to spin in a tight circle around him.

    As he watched Casey''s Wind Rush, he couldn''t help but feel impressed. The boy had a natural talent for magic, and with proper training, he could be a force to be reckoned with. "Not bad, kid," Sero said, clapping Casey on the shoulder. "You''ve got a good grasp of your abilities. Just remember to practice your control, and you''ll go far."

    "Thanks, Mr. Sero!" Casey grinned, his confidence returning. "I''m really looking forward to training with you."

    Even as the sight of the eager boy filled Sero with a new sense of pride, he didn''t know the first thing about training another person. There was no way he''d subject the kid to the same training he did with Enzo. Or maybe he could...

    "Hey, Mr. Sero, how about I try to see if I can do Lightning Bolt?" Casey jolted Sero out of his thoughts, electricity sparking between his hands. "It was the last skill Miss Amaya taught me, but I think I can do it!"

    "Actually, I''d rather you didn''t test it out in my¨C"

    But Casey had already ignited the air around him, his eyes narrowing in concentration as a bolt of yellow lightning arced between his hands. The air crackled with electricity, and the penthouse was filled with the smell of ozone. Sero gaped in amazement as the bolt shot forward, striking the same wall from earlier with a deafening crash. The wall exploded in a shower of sparks and plaster, leaving a blackened hole with a view of Sero''s bedroom on the other side.

    As Sero copied Lightning Bolt, everyone fell silent for a moment. Casey fearfully glanced at Sero with a mixture of shame and embarrassment.

    "That...was impressive," Sero finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But, you''re gonna have to learn to control your power. You can''t just go around using it like that." He gestured to the now gaping hole in the wall. "You''ll burn through your mana pool before you realize it."

    "I- I will, Mr. Sero!" Casey seemed slightly relieved that Sero wasn''t too angry. "I''ll practice more control, I promise! I''m sorry about your wall."

    Sero shook his head, his Rationality working overtime to calm him down. "It''s fine. I asked for this anyway. We''ll start the real training tomorrow."

    Casey''s face lit up with excitement. "Really? Cool! I can''t wait!"

 Chapter 61: The Guidance Counselor

    As the evening approached, Nala took Casey back to the hospital, the boy giving Sero a quick hug before leaving. He wasn''t sure if Casey was aware or not, but having him around today had really helped Sero come to terms with some of the changes in his own life. The boy''s eagerness and innocence had served as a reminder of the person Sero used to be, and the potential he had. It made him hopeful for the future, in a way that he hadn''t felt in a long time.

    Cleaning up the mess from the hole in the wall, Sero pondered how he was going to patch it up when he sensed Luna''s presence behind him.

    "Do you want to talk about it?"

    Sero glanced back at the succubus. "Talk about what?"

    "You know." Luna stared at him, holding a can of beer. He wondered if succubi could become alcoholics. Or maybe Luna had just completely embraced living like a human.

    "No, I don''t," Sero replied, though he was beginning to get what she was getting at.

    Luna sighed, flopping back onto the couch. "I''m not what you guys call a therapist, but as a succubus, my abilities to see personalities as well as emotions make me quite qualified for the position."

    Sero hesitated for a moment. "Why do you want me to talk about what happened this afternoon?"

    "This afternoon?" Luna raised an eyebrow. "You mean, that attraction you have towards Amaya? No, I''m talking about before Nala and Casey left, when I sensed the conflicting feelings radiating off of you."

    "What attraction- Never mind," Sero said, waving off her comment. "Look, I don''t want to talk about it. It''s just...things have been changing so much lately, and I''m not sure how to feel about it all. I mean, I just lost my father, learned the truth about shit happening in the world, and now I''m supposed to find a way to solve all of it."

    "You don''t have to solve it all at once," Luna said softly, taking a sip of her beer. "And you don''t have to do it alone." She paused, studying his expression. "Are you sure you don''t want to talk about it? I just don''t want you to bottle it up. I''ve seen what it can do to humans."

    Sero stepped back from the hole, debating on whether or not he wanted to take up Luna''s offer. Finally, he shrugged, plopping onto the couch across from her.

    "Well," Sero began, unsure how to start. "It''s not just that, you know? It''s...it''s everything. It''s like I''m losing control of my life. Like I''m not even sure who I am anymore." He paused, taking a deep breath. "I''ll admit it, I think I''m doing a lot better now than before the apocalypse happened. I wasn''t doing shit with my life, stuck in an endless loop of working, sleeping, and eating."

    Luna nodded understandingly. "It''s natural to feel like that. When your world gets turned upside down, it can be hard to find your bearings again. But you''ve made progress. You''ve learned to fight, to survive. I believe you''ve started to find purpose in your life, and because it''s so new, you feel like you don''t have any guidelines on how to navigate through that."

    "That''s... no yeah, that''s true," Sero agreed, looking down at his hands. "I just wish I could... I don''t know. Figure out what I want. Who I want to be. I feel like there''s all this potential in me, but I don''t know how to tap into it. A part of me still wants to live my dream of a comfortable life, but the other half feels restless being complacent."

    Luna nodded, taking another sip of her beer. "Do you mind if I take a look into your emotional history?"

    "My what?"

    "Your emotional history. I can take a peek at your past emotions and experiences to help you gain some perspective on who you are and where you want to go." Luna''s orange eyes glinted with curiosity and understanding. "If you''re not comfortable with that, I won''t push you."

    Sero thought for a moment. "Will you... be able to see everything, or are there some parts I can hide from you?"

    "You can always hide things from me, but I''d rather you be honest and open," Luna replied with a reassuring smile. "It''s important to remember that I''m not here to judge you. I''m just here to help you understand yourself better."

    "Are you sure you''re a succubus?" Sero mumbled to himself. "Fine, whatever. Let''s do it."

    Luna set her can down, leaning forward and gazing directly into Sero''s red eyes. For a moment, he thought that nothing was happening until the succubus''s eyes glowed a dark purple.

    His body buzzed, copying ''Mind Search'' as Luna''s presence pierced into his mind. Before she could get any farther, the succubus softly yelped as her concentration broke.

    "What the- I can''t look through your emotional history."

    "Oh, sorry," Sero realized his Rationality had taken effect. "It''s my passive. I''ll stop it, so try again."

    Luna took a deep breath, gathering her focus again. Her eyes glowed once more, and she delved deeper into Sero''s mind. The sensation was both foreign and intimate, like being undressed and examined by a trusted friend. She skimmed through his emotional history, picking out important moments and experiences that had shaped who he was today.

    Sero didn''t know how much time had passed as he zoned out, but after he blinked back into focus, he realized that Luna had tears flowing down her face. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    "Whoa, hey, are you ok?"

    "Yeah, I''m just a more sensitive and empathetic succubus," Luna sniffled, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. "I''m... I''m sorry. It''s just... I''ve never seen someone with that much pain and suffering hidden away inside them. You''ve been through so much, and you''ve managed to keep going despite everything. You''re incredibly strong, Sero. Stronger than you realize."

    "I''m always confident in my abilities," Sero frowned slightly. "But, what did you find?"

    The succubus took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before speaking. "Your past is full of pain and loss, but it''s not just that. There''s a sense of longing there too, a yearning for something more. A part of you wants to embrace your new life, but you''re still struggling to let go of your old self. You''re torn between the comfort of the familiar and the excitement of the unknown. You''re afraid of failing at your new life, just like you failed at your old one."

    Sero opened his mouth to speak, but closed it. Luna''s analysis had been on the mark.

    "I saw how lonely you were..." Luna continued. "Your peers only tolerated you to use you for your abilities. You knew this, but you feigned ignorance. All because..." the succubus choked up, but pushed on. "Your parents were the only ones who provided you with the emotional and mental support you lacked from everyone else. You were extremely close with your mother in particular, who developed that insatiable curiosity and restless nature. You endured being bullied and taken advantage of by your peers because you thought you could lie to your parents and pretend they were your friends."

    Sero nodded, tears welling up in his eyes. It was painful to acknowledge how much he had been deluding himself. "I never realized... how much I''ve been clinging to those memories," he whispered. "I thought I was moving on, but..."

    "That''s why you''re feeling so conflicted," Luna sniffed. "When you were alone, all you had to worry about was yourself. You didn''t have to deal with being judged or ostracized, but you also had that void that your mother filled. You pushed away your father because he didn''t understand that that was what you needed from him. And when you got a second chance at life, your past fears prevented you from taking chances to change yourself."

    Sero hung his head, ashamed of his own weakness. "I guess I''ve been running away from my feelings, even now."

    The succubus shook her head. "Anyone would do that in your situation. Right now, you''re scared that you might mess up with whatever it is you think you have to do, wanting to go back to the life that you had gotten used to. It''s clashing with the teachings your mother engraved deep within you, the need to embrace change and the unknown." Luna took a deep breath. "But I think...I think you need to let go of the past. Not forget it, but accept that it''s part of who you are, and move on. You can''t keep living in fear of making mistakes."

    For a while, Sero mulled over her words, finding truth in what she said. He leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes as he tried to process his feelings. The weight of his past was heavy, but he knew he couldn''t carry it with him any longer. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, opening his eyes.

    "Thanks, Luna. I think I''ve got a sense of what you''re saying."

    The succubus seemed to want to say something else, but thought better of it as she gave him a reassuring smile. Instead, she changed the subject. "I take it you haven''t decided what you''re going to do about your feelings for Amaya?"

    Sero blinked, his mind momentarily caught off guard by the sudden question. He''d been trying to ignore the growing attraction he felt for her, but Luna''s words had made him more aware of it. He looked at the succubus for a moment, considering her question. "I don''t know," he admitted. "I''m honestly not sure how I feel about her."

    Luna gave a sly smile. "All I know is, with everything she''s done for you and your father, you''ve started to view her in a different light."

    Sero chuckled nervously. "Yeah, I suppose I have."

    They lapsed into silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Then, Luna spoke up. "You know, you don''t have to rush into anything. You''ve been through a lot recently, and you should take your time getting to know her better. Just because you have feelings for her doesn''t mean you need to act on them right away. And who knows? Maybe it''s just the fact that you''re vulnerable right now and she was the one who comforted you the most."

    Sero nodded, considering her words. "I guess you''re right," he said quietly. "I''ll just have to see where things go." He looked at Luna and smiled. "Thanks again for talking to me about this. I feel a lot better now. Never expected to get life advice from a succubus."

    Luna waved off his comment with a dismissive hand. "Hey, I''ve been around the block a few times. You''d be surprised what you can learn from the most unexpected places." She paused, then added with a grin, "Besides, it''s not like I''m the only one who''s interested in your well-being."

    The comment took Sero aback for a moment. "What do you mean?" he asked, feeling a hint of wariness creeping into his voice.

    "It''s been a whole 10 minutes, and you still haven''t noticed me."

    Sero whirled around, finding Kit standing in the doorway of his bedroom. She had a sullen, almost angry pout on her face. "Oh, hello, Kit," he said, feeling a little embarrassed. "I didn''t... know... you were here..."

    The Paradox sniffed and stepped into the room, folding her arms irritably. "Well, I''ve been here for a while, you know. Just because you''re so wrapped up in your little...drama with Amaya doesn''t mean you can ignore me." Her voice was accusing, but there was a hint of hurt beneath the anger.

    "Sorry, Kit," Sero said, feeling guilty for not noticing her sooner. "I''ve just had a lot on my mind lately. I didn''t mean to ignore you."

    Kit''s face softened, and she immediately dropped her anger, rushing to wrap her arms around Sero. "Oh, my little bookworm," she cooed, stroking his hair. "I''m sorry too. I shouldn''t have been so snippy. I''ve just been feeling a bit neglected lately."

    "I mean, you''ve basically been staying at my place for while so¨C"

    "You can make it up to me by cuddling together tonight!" Kit ignored his comment, squeezing him tighter.

    Luna watched the pair with an awkward smile. "Even with my abilities, I can''t tell if it''s just overprotectiveness, or if you really have feelings for him, Kit."

    "Why not both?" The Paradox stuck her tongue out playfully.

    Sero chuckled, returning Kit''s hug. "I think that can be arranged," he said, resting his chin on her shoulder. "You did help me, too."

    In the back of his mind, Sero noticed that hugging Kit felt distinctly different from holding Amaya. He still found Kit attractive, but now he thought of her as more of a dear friend, a sister even. His feelings for Amaya were new and confusing, and he couldn''t help but wonder if they were real or just a result of everything they''d been through together. The thought scared him, but he pushed it away, not wanting to dwell on it. He desperately hoped that Luna hadn''t picked up on his emotions at that moment.

    "So," Kit purred, still clinging to Sero as she noticed Luna''s can on the table. "Are we going to continue from last night? Tomorrow''s my little bookworm''s victory ceremony, so it''ll be more of a happier vibe, right?"

    "You know I''m always willing to drink," Luna said with a grin, once again causing Sero to wonder about the succubus''s habits.

 Chapter 62: Awkward Tensions

    The night began with the three of them, drinking and eating a variety of snacks. As they chatted and laughed, Sero couldn''t help but feel a sense of contentment. Kit was in her usual flirty mood, teasing Luna and Sero in equal measure, while the succubus seemed to enjoy the attention, playfully swatting at the Paradox''s hands. There was an easy camaraderie between them, a comfort in each other''s company that made Sero wonder if he''d ever find that with anyone else.

    Nala arrived after dropping Casey off, letting herself be dragged around by the drunken Kit and Luna. Sero found it amusing to see the normally quiet and reserved Shadereaper so tipsy. She giggled and stumbled along with the others, laughing at inside jokes and even joining in on a few rounds of singing.

    "Hey, Sero, how many days left of Nala following your every command?" Luna slurred to Sero as she plopped onto the couch next to him.

    "Four, I think," Sero answered, taking a sip of his drink. "It started as soon as I gave her Elena''s autograph after my match."

    "She''d really do anything you ask?"

    "Well, maybe not anything," Sero smiled to himself. "But yeah, there''s really no conditions besides that."

    "Hmm," Luna seemed deep in thought, though Sero could tell the alcohol was making it difficult for the succubus to concentrate. "Well, you''ve got me curious. Maybe you should ask her to do something...interesting." She winked at him.

    "Uh... pardon?"

    "Oh, nothing!" Luna giggled, then leaned closer to Sero, lowering her voice. "You know... just a little challenge. Something naughty." She batted her eyelashes at him, her voice taking on a suggestive tone. "Maybe if she does it, I''ll reward her with a special favor... or two."

    It seemed like alcohol was the trigger for Luna to show her succubus tendencies, which Sero found weird.

    "What are you thinking about?" Sero asked, genuinely curious. He wasn''t sure if he should be amused or worried about where Luna''s mind was going.

    A knock at the door interrupted whatever Luna was going to say next. Kit got up and opened it, letting in Gregor, who was carrying more cases of alcohol, followed by Enzo and Amaya, each carrying a platter of food.

    For a brief moment, Amaya''s gaze met Sero''s. There was an awkward silence as she took in his expression, and he hers. They were both still trying to process what had happened the night before, and the strange shift in their relationship. Amaya forced a smile and turned away, moving deeper into the penthouse to join the others. Sero couldn''t help but feel a sense of loss, as if something important had just slipped through his fingers.

    He forced the feeling down, putting on a false smile as he joined the group. Gregor nodded to him, as if acknowledging that they were still on for the meeting to discuss what Sero had texted him tomorrow.

    As they continued to enjoy themselves, Sero couldn''t help but feel like something was off. Amaya seemed distant, her gaze avoiding his whenever possible. Gregor was his usual self as opposed to Enzo, who quickly became intoxicated. Nala and Luna kept up their drunken antics, leaning on each other for support. Kit, on the other hand, was in her element, her flirtatious nature making her the life of the party.

    Slowly, the group began to wind down, too intoxicated to continue celebrating. Kit dragged Luna and Nala to Sero''s bedroom, forgetting about her previous complaints about not spending more time with him. The Shadereaper gave Sero a desperate look for help, but he merely shrugged, unable to assist her. Enzo excused himself to the spare room, Amaya following him soon after. Gregor, feeling more sober than the others, offered to clean up while Sero put the last of the food away.

    "How are you managing?" the Conqueror quietly rumbled.

    Sero turned to look at the massive man, who was now leaning against the kitchen counter. "I''m fine," he answered, forcing a smile. "Just... thinking about some things."

    Gregor nodded understandingly and gave him a soft clap on the shoulder. "Well, you should enjoy the moment while you can. It''s not often we all get together like this." He paused, his expression becoming more serious. "And about what you said... We''ll discuss more tomorrow after your ceremony, but just be on guard. My Janitors have been encountering more Culling members out and about both within and beyond the 25th Zone."

    Sero nodded, feeling a weight in his stomach at the mention of the Culling. "Thanks for the warning. I''ll be careful." He and Gregor finished cleaning up, with the Conqueror saying farewell as he left the penthouse. Sero sighed, retreating to his couch in the living room. Despite the others taking rest in the other two rooms, the darkness made his area feel a lot more lonely than it should.

    He glanced at the time on his phone and decided it was best if he got some sleep. His ceremony would begin early, and he needed to be sharp for it.

    <hr>

    "Fucking hell..." Sero muttered as he found himself patrolling the streets near his penthouse. Given all his best efforts to sleep, Sero gave up, deciding to go outside and walk off his intoxication instead. Of course, he could always force his Rationality to sober himself up, but there was something about staying drunk that felt right.

    For some reason, Sero didn''t know why he had expected Amaya to come out and join him on the couch again. He knew she felt an attraction to Enzo, but he had thought there was something more between them. Maybe he had just imagined it. With a sigh, he leaned against the side of a building, his gaze drifting around the area.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    A burning desire for something to happen welled up within him. Of all the times, he wished a monster outbreak would occur, or even encounter members of Culling. It would give him something to focus on other than his own thoughts and feelings. But tonight, the city was quiet, and there was no sign of any activity. He cursed under his breath.

    "Aphiel?"

    The goddess didn''t answer. Sero decided not to look for her, figuring he had dumped a lot on the goddess already. He snapped his fingers, conjuring Moss and Lime to walk by his side as he continued to roam the city streets.

    As they walked, Sero lost himself in his thoughts, not realizing that he had ended up at the hospital entrance. He paused for a moment, taking in the familiar sights and sounds as he felt himself completely sober.

    "Oh, Sero. What are you doing here?"

    Dr. Malek smiled kindly as he approached Sero, looking a bit haggard. Moss and Lime growled at the man, causing Sero to quickly recall them.

    "Oh, you know. Just taking a walk. Can''t sleep, I guess." Sero replied, returning the smile. "How about you?"

    Dr. Malek shrugged. "Can''t say I sleep very well either these days. There''s been a surge in mortality ever since the start of the Ascendants Tournament. Your dragons could probably smell death on me again."

    Sero chuckled. "I remember you said they were sensitive to those sorts of things." He glanced around the area, noticing that the hospital entrance seemed busier than usual for this time of night. "Is it always this busy around here?"

    "Not really, no. But tonight, there''s a few people from the 24th Zone who were injured during an A-rank outbreak. We have some of the best doctors in the world, but even they''re having trouble." Dr. Malek leaned against the wall, looking tired. "I wish... I wish we could do more."

    Sero glanced back at the doctor, noticing the weariness in his eyes. "You do great work, Doctor. You should know that." For some reason, he was able to sense traces of innate mana from Dr. Malek. "Wait, are you... an Ascendant?"

    "Yes," Dr. Malek blinked in Sero''s direction. "Were you not aware? That''s one of the main reasons why I''m able to work in a hospital filled with mana after all."

    "No, yeah, I just thought..." Sero berated himself for not putting the pieces together. Of course Dr. Malek had to be an Ascendant, or else he wouldn''t have been able to get near patients afflicted with the Outbreak Plague. "What class are you?"

    The doctor simply smiled at Sero kindly. "What do you think?"

    A wave of embarrassment washed over him. "Oh... probably something within the Healer class, right?" Sero replied sheepishly.

    Dr. Malek chuckled. "Right on the mark. I''m a pure-line Healer." He glanced back at the hospital entrance, frowning. "But I can''t stay out here for long. I have patients who need my attention."

    Sero nodded understandingly. "Of course. You should get back to them." He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Do you ever feel... I don''t know, alone in all this? I mean, with how the world is and everything?"

    Dr. Malek considered the question before answering. "Yes, I do. There are days when I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders. But then I remember that there are people like you who care and make a difference. You and your friends, for example, are proof that there is still good left in this world." The doctor straightened up, seeming to gather his resolve. "So yes, I may be alone at times, but I''m not alone in the sense that I have people who believe in me and who are working towards a better future."

    Sero nodded, feeling a bit heartened by the doctor''s words. "I''m glad you have that perspective, Dr. Malek. You''re right. There is still good left in the world, and we have to hold on to that." He glanced back at the hospital entrance, then looked at the doctor again. "If there''s ever anything I can do to help, you just have to ask."

    It was just for a second, but Sero could''ve sworn he saw something flash in the doctor''s eyes. However, it was gone quickly, replaced by that familiar twinkle of kindness.

    "Actually, I''ve been meaning to ask you, Sero," Dr. Malek began carefully. "Your class is the Scholar, correct?"

    "Yes, that''s right," Sero replied, feeling a bit surprised by the question. "Why do you ask?"

    The doctor studied him for a moment. "I''ve met many Ascendants, some with extremely unique classes, but never a Scholar before. It''s been said that you are able to copy any skills that you see."

    Sero nodded. "That''s true, I can copy skills from any class, but there are some limitations. The biggest obstacle is that some require certain passives in order to use them, but my Influence passive helps me emulate them for a brief moment."

    Dr. Malek''s eyes widened in shock. "You mean... you can also copy the passives of others?"

    "Er, yeah," Sero replied, realizing that it was something new even to him. "I figured out how to use my Influence passive during my match with Liam."

    The doctor''s eyes lit up with curiosity. "I see. This is truly remarkable. Do you mind if I ask what exactly the Influence passive does?"

    Sero scratched the back of his head, giving a wry smile. "At the moment, I''m not really sure what it does, so I can''t explain it that well to you. All I know is, I''m able to briefly emulate passives from Ascendants that I''ve copied skills from."

    Dr. Malek''s face lit up with interest. "That''s incredible! This means that you could potentially use every skill and passive in the world. It''s like having a library of knowledge at your fingertips."

    He paused for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "I wonder if there''s a way to refine this skill further. If we could somehow find a way to permanently unlock and use the passives of others, it would revolutionize the world. Imagine being able to share knowledge and skills with anyone, without the need for classes or limitations. It would be a truly utopian society."

    Sero chuckled awkwardly. "I never really thought about it that way, Dr. Malek. It''s just something that''s been a part of me. I mean, I don''t even know how it works, really. I just... copy skills and passives from other people."

    Dr. Malek smiled understandingly. "I can see that. It''s a lot to process, I imagine. But it''s important that you understand the impact your abilities have on the world. You have the power to change lives, Sero. Not just through healing, but also through sharing knowledge."

    He paused, his eyes distant for a moment. "I''ve often wondered what it would be like to have such a gift. To be able to learn anything and everything, and to share that knowledge with those who are willing to listen. It''s a responsibility, but it''s also an opportunity. An opportunity to make the world a better place."

    The two fell silent until a tiny beeping emitted from Dr. Malek''s pockets. He glanced down and smiled apologetically. "I''m sorry, I should go. I''m on call. But please, don''t hesitate to reach out if you ever need anything, Sero."

    "Yeah... will do," Sero said, his mind still reeling from the conversation. He watched Dr. Malek walk away, feeling a strange mix of awe and confusion. As he turned to head back to his penthouse, he couldn''t help but wonder about the weight of his own abilities.

 Chapter 63: Rejection & Acceptance

    It was extremely late once Sero arrived back at his penthouse. He quietly laid on the couch, assuming that the others were deep asleep in his bedroom and the spare room.

    As he stared up at the ceiling, his thoughts kept returning to his conversation with Dr. Malek. While it did help distract him from the events earlier, Sero couldn''t shake the feeling that something had been off about the doctor, especially that brief look in his eyes when he offered his help.

    He rolled over, deciding to go to bed. Just as he was about to close his eyes, however, he heard a faint click coming from one of the doors. He sat up, instantly alert, and glanced around the room. In the darkness, he noticed that the door to the spare room where Amaya and Enzo were in was opened.

    A figure quietly slipped out, and as it walked towards him, Sero realized it was Amaya, dressed in a silk white robe. She had a determined yet conflicted look on her face, as if she had made up her mind about something she wasn''t happy about. As she approached, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief and anticipation.

    "Sero," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Can we talk?"

    "Yeah..." he replied quietly, gazing at her. She was beautiful even in the dark, her features soft and her expression troubled. "Come here." He patted the spot beside him on the couch, and she hesitantly sat down. For a moment, neither of them said anything, the silence filling the room like a physical presence. Finally, Sero broke it. "What''s going on, Amaya?" he asked gently.

    The Spellblade tugged at her sleeves, brushing her brilliant silver hair back before she directed her blue eyes at him. Underneath the moonlight, Sero''s breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight of her, and his heart raced with an unfamiliar mix of emotions.

    "I''ve... been hearing things being said about... us," Amaya began, her voice shaking slightly. "From the others. After that night when we... when you comforted me."

    Sero felt his cheeks flush with heat as he remembered the night they had cuddled. He knew what she was talking about. "What have they been saying?" he asked gently, feeling an unsettling wrench in his gut.

    Amaya chewed on the nail of her thumb. "Only that you might be feeling something more for me."

    Sero felt a pang in his chest. "And what do you think?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

    "I think... we shouldn''t explore that," Amaya said, her voice barely a whisper. She looked down at her hands, which were trembling slightly in her lap. "You''re at a vulnerable point in your life, Sero, and I''m sorry if I did anything to make you think something else was happening. Between us."

    Sero swallowed thickly, feeling a knot forming in his throat. He reached out and gently took one of her hands in his, feeling her soft skin against his own. "I understand," he said, his voice hoarse. "And I didn''t mean to make you uncomfortable."

    "No, it''s fine," Amaya shook her head. "I was reminded of my own pain seeing you go through all of that. I think I was relying on you because you could understand what I went through, too."

    Sero squeezed her hand gently. "And I want you to know that I''m still here for you. Whatever you need, Amaya. You''re not alone in this."

    "I know, and I want you to know that, too," Amaya said, smiling softly up at him, though it was tinged with sadness. "So, to be clear, I think we should just remain friends for the moment."

    Sero nodded, his heart aching a little. "I understand," he said, releasing her hand. "It''s probably for the best. I talked with Luna, and she did mention that these feelings I have for you could be because of my own insecurities and what I''ve been through. I guess I just wanted to... I don''t know."

    He looked down at the floor, feeling a mixture of disappointment and acceptance. "I''m sure it''s weird for you, too. I know you and Enzo have a thing, so it must''ve caught you off guard when I started having feelings for you." Sero glanced up with a small smile. "At least I never hid it, though now it''s a bit different this time."

    Amaya returned his smile, her expression softening. "It''s true, I didn''t expect this to happen. And I''m sorry if I''ve made things uncomfortable for you, too." She hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "But I do care about you, Sero. You know that, right?"

    "Yeah, I know," Sero sighed as he leaned back on the couch. "Just, for a moment, I was thinking you were feeling that same feeling I did. Kinda funny, right? I know you well enough to know that it''d never happen."

    He expected Amaya to laugh or agree, but shockingly, she didn''t.

    "I don''t know if I would have," she said quietly. "I... I''ve been feeling a little lost lately. With everything that''s been going on, I didn''t realize how much I missed having someone to talk to. Someone who understood what it was like to lose someone important. And you were always willing to listen, and never pushed me to talk about things if I didn''t want to."

    The two friends sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Sero was surprised by Amaya''s confession, but at the same time, it didn''t entirely surprise him. They had been through so much together, so it wasn''t that far off not to develop feelings for someone under those circumstances.

    "Anyway, we should get some rest," Sero said finally, breaking the silence. "I have a long day tomorrow." He paused, then added, "And thank you, Amaya. For everything. For being there for me when I was going through shit."If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Amaya smiled at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I''m glad I could be there for you, Sero. I mean it. And you''re right, we should get some rest. Your victory ceremony will take a lot out of you, not to mention the meeting with the Janitors after." She leaned over and hugged him tightly, her head resting on his shoulder.

    Sero returned the embrace, feeling a pang in his chest as he held her. Luna had helped him understand his feelings better, but even though he could logically make sense of them, the emotional part of him refused to listen to reason. It seemed that everything he had gone through during his childhood and teenage years were still affecting him in ways he couldn''t quite comprehend.

    As they broke apart, Sero forced his Rationality to activate, quelling the hurtful emotions that were plaguing him. He waved goodbye to Amaya as she retreated back into the spare room, leaving him on the couch alone.

    <hr>

    The following morning, Sero got ready in his bedroom, the others already waiting for him in his living room. He took one last look at himself in the mirror, satisfied with the black jeans, white shirt, and bomber jacket ensemble that had grown to become his signature look. As he stepped out of his room, he was greeted by the sight of his friends gathered around the coffee table, mugs of steaming hot coffee in hand. They smiled and waved at him as he approached, their faces beaming with pride.

    "How does my little bookworm feel about being the 25th Zone''s tournament champion?" Kit purred as she slinked over to him with a smile.

    Sero grinned sheepishly. "Still doesn''t feel real, to be honest. I kept going up against really strong Ascendants."

    "What''re you putting yourself down for?" Enzo growled, sipping at his cup. "You''re officially an S-rank after beating the shit out of my brother."

    Although Sero chuckled at Enzo''s comment, he couldn''t help but notice how close Amaya was sitting next to the Demonic Judge. She glanced at him a few times but didn''t seem to be in the mood to talk. It was a strange feeling, knowing that she was there but feeling disconnected from her at the same time. He wasn''t sure what was going on in her head, but he hoped they could still be friends after everything.

    "You even got Elena''s autograph," Nala chipped in. "That''s when I knew you''d win the tournament."

    "Really?"

    "No. I don''t know why I said that." The Shadereaper replied emotionlessly.

    "Ok... well, is everyone ready to go?" Sero asked the group, who all affirmed his question. He glanced over at Luna, who was dressed in a neat suit, her silky black hair down to cover her slightly pointed ears. She even put on makeup to hide the tiny mole underneath the corner of her left eye, though Sero wasn''t sure why.

    "Luna, just remember to keep low," Sero said, turning to her. "There''s probably going to be a lot of humans, so try not to stand out."

    The succubus nodded, giving him a salute.

    "All right," Sero took a deep breath. "Let''s go."

    <hr>

    The group took two cars to the stadium where the tournament had been held, finding a grand procession in front of the entrance. Sero felt nervous, but also strangely detached from the situation. As they made their way through the crowd, people cheering and waving at them, Sero couldn''t help but notice how surreal it all seemed. He was the one they were here to see, the champion of the tournament. Yet he felt like he was just another face in the crowd.

    The others drew back as he made his way to the stage, finding places within the crowd. He found Gregor waiting for him near the stage stairs, dressed in the Janitors'' usual suit uniform. The Conqueror smiled warmly, offering his hand out to Sero.

    "Congratulations on your victory, Sero," he said. "You''ve made us proud."

    "Thank you, sir," Sero replied, shaking Gregor''s hand. "I appreciate your help with all of this, too."

    "Think nothing of it, my boy," Gregor said, patting Sero on the shoulder. "It''s what we''re here for. Now, come with me." He led Sero backstage, where a couple of very important officials and individuals stood. He noticed a familiar woman dressed in a business suit.

    "Ah, Sero!" Elena beamed. "I''m glad to see you well."

    "Oh, hey Elena," Sero was surprised to see the Scaletamer. "What are you doing here?"

    "Of course the bottom-rank wouldn''t know anything about tournament procedures," Liam scowled as he approached the group. He was wearing the same black hoodie and athletic shorts, leading Sero to believe that he didn''t have any other outfits in his wardrobe. "Normally, any S-ranks who participated in the tournament show up to give their support to the winner."

    "It''s a custom, to show good sportsmanship among the higher tiers," Gregor added. "Especially when a newcomer such as yourself manages to make a name for himself." He turned back to Sero. "This is the first time an A-rank has ever won the tournament, you know. But, I think in your case, you''re now an officially recognized S-rank."

    Sero nodded, unsure of what to say. "Thank you, sir... I appreciate that." He glanced around the backstage area, taking in the various people milling about, getting ready to begin the event. "This is all very... overwhelming."

    "Better adapt quickly," the Demonic Enforcer growled as he went to take a seat behind the podium ahead. "Wouldn''t want to embarrass yourself in front of live tv." Sero could feel his blood boiling.

    Elena glanced at Sero with an apologetic smile. "Please excuse him. It''s no secret that you dealt a huge blow to his pride when you defeated him. Liam may be harboring some grudges against you, but just remember that you won the tournament fair and square."

    "Right... thanks," Sero calmed himself down by forcing his Rationality. The Scaletamer shifted shyly, giving him a timid look.

    "If... if you wouldn''t mind... could I see your pups again?"

    "Huh? Oh, sure," Sero snapped his fingers, summoning Moss and Lime to his side. The dragon pups chirped happily upon noticing Elena.

    "Oh, they''re so cute!" Elena cooed, bending down to pet them. "You''ve done such a good job raising them so far, Sero. They''re just adorable." She scratched Moss behind the ears, making the little dark green dragon sigh contently. A smaller jade portal opened beside her, and out popped a miniature version of her scaly dragon Jawlock, who began to play with Moss and Lime.

    Sero smiled, watching his dragons interact with Elena and Jawlock''s smaller form. It was a surreal moment for him, one where he felt like he was finally getting some recognition and appreciation for his hard work. He glanced over at Liam, who was still glaring at him, and felt a pang of sympathy. The Demonic Enforcer might have been arrogant and obnoxious, but he too had put in years of training and dedication to reach his current rank.

    He pushed the feeling down, wanting to concentrate on the moment at hand. Gregor clapped Sero on the shoulders, smiling warmly at him.

    "Just relax, and be yourself," the Conqueror began. "I''ll be on the sidelines, but the event is straightforward, so you need not worry about cues and such."

    Sero nodded, feeling slightly more at ease. One of the officials announced that the event was starting, causing everyone to take their places. He took a deep breath, focusing on his heartbeat, and felt his Rationality rise to the surface.

    "I hope you''re watching, Mom and Dad," he muttered to himself. "I wish you guys were here to see this."

 Chapter 64: Party Foul

    As the victory ceremony began, Sero took a moment to gather his thoughts and compose himself. He smiled politely at the cheering crowd, feeling a mixture of pride and nervousness wash over him. The lights of the stage shone down on him, making his heart race even faster. He glanced over at Liam, who was still glaring at him from his seat beside Elena.

    Seeing the Demonic Enforcer so filled with spite strangely made Sero feel smug. He focused his attention back on the host, who was announcing the start of the interview. The interviewer, a tall, statuesque woman with long flowing blonde hair and a confident presence, smiled at Sero as he stepped up to the podium.

    "So, Sero, you''ve just achieved something no other A-rank has ever done before- you won the tournament against all odds. But, I think in your case, you''re now an officially recognized S-rank."

    The interviewer''s words sent a shiver of excitement down Sero''s spine. He nodded, trying to contain his smile. "Yes, it''s a huge honor. I still can''t believe I made it this far."

    As they continued to talk about the tournament and his journey to becoming an S-rank, Sero felt a strange sense of detachment from the situation. It was almost as if he was watching himself from afar. He could see the interviewer''s lips moving, but the words didn''t seem to register until after a brief pause. He forced himself to focus, not wanting to appear unprepared or disinterested.

    "So, the biggest question that I believe is on everyone''s mind is: What exactly does your Scholar class do?" The interviewer asked, her eyes burning with curiosity.

    However, before Sero could reply, an explosion boomed in the distance, causing the crowd to gasp and look back in alarm. Sero quickly realized that the explosion had come from the hospital.

    "That''s... that''s not good," he muttered, his heart sinking.

    Immediately, the officials moved to address the situation, calling for medical teams and security personnel. One of them stepped up to Sero and the interviewer. "You two need to come with us. We need to get you to safety."

    Sero nodded, his heart racing. "What''s going on?"

    Gregor suddenly appeared next to them, his expression grim. "We don''t know yet, but it seems that the hospital is under attack. Enzo and the others are already on their way there."

    "Fuck!" Sero realized that Casey was at the hospital. "We gotta go there too!"

    "No, you need to stay with Luna and keep her safe," the Conqueror shook his head. "This place is secure, since Liam and Elena have remained here. I''ve informed the other Janitors to aid the ones responding."

    "But-"

    "Sero, please heed my orders," Gregor said, his voice firm but calm. "Your presence at the hospital would only put you in harm''s way. You need to stay here and protect Luna. The rest of us will handle this."

    "You''re going, too?" Sero asked, unable to contain the excitement building within him at the idea of seeing the Conqueror in action.

    "Yes, but I need you to stay here and protect Luna," Gregor repeated, his expression unyielding. "You are also an S-rank now, remember? You have a responsibility to her and the citizens here."

    Sero clenched his fists, feeling frustrated and powerless. But he knew that the Conqueror was right. He had to trust that Gregor and the others would handle the situation at the hospital.

    As Gregor left, Luna stumbled up on stage, frantically searching for Sero. "Sero, what''s going on? I heard an explosion!" she cried, her eyes filled with fear. Sero hurried over to her, trying to calm her down.

    "Hey, it''s ok, we''re safe here," Sero calmly said, noting how Elena began to take charge of the situation. "The others are going to deal with whatever''s happening over at the hospital."

    "Isn''t that where Casey is?"

    "Y-yeah," Sero stammered, his heart still racing. "But we don''t know what''s going on. We just have to wait here for now and hope everything''s alright." He glanced around, looking for a way to distract her, to take her mind off the danger. He spotted Liam, still sitting in his chair. Despite looking calm, he could tell the Demonic Enforcer was just on edge as he was, scanning the crowd for any threats.

    "Come on, let''s go backstage," Sero said, taking Luna by the hand and leading her behind the curtains, where more officials were scrambling to deal with the situation. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins, but he tried his best to keep a calm demeanor for Luna''s sake. He tried calling out to Aphiel, but for some reason, the goddess wasn''t responding at all.

    As they found a place to hide, Sero saw Liam walk past the curtains, wielding his Order staff. They locked eyes, a slight apprehension in the Demonic Enforcer''s face.

    "What are you doing?" Sero called out to him, confused as to why his weapon was out.

    "You''re an S-rank, now, aren''t you? You really don''t feel that huge fucking energy?" Liam scowled at him.

    "Uh... what do you mean?" Sero asked, confused. He glanced around, wondering if he was missing something. Slowly, he began to notice the energy that Liam was talking about. In the distance, more explosions resounded, but here at the stage in front of the stadium, Sero sensed a growing strength from the crowd.

    Elena burst out from the curtains, her two snakes slithering around her. She looked anxious, glancing from Sero to Liam. "You guys feeling that, too?"

    Sero nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. The energy was growing stronger, and it was almost overwhelming. "What do you think it is?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    "I don''t care what it is," Liam began to swing his golden staff around. "I''ve been feeling pretty shitty after the tournament, so hopefully it''s something I can vent my frustration out on."

    Sero glanced at Luna, who looked frightened by the prospect of another fight. "Hey, Luna, don''t worry. I''m going to stay right here with you." He left out the part that he didn''t particularly want to get involved with whatever was going to happen.

    "You''re going to remain here?" Elena asked him, a slight disbelief in her eyes.

    Sero nodded, feeling a mixture of shame and defiance. "I can''t really get into too much detail, but I need to protect Luna. I''ll also protect the citizens, so you two can focus on whatever that energy is."

    Elena looked disappointed but didn''t push it further. Instead, she turned to Liam. "Alright, let''s go. We''ll deal with whatever this is together." The two of them walked out front, Elena leading the way with her snakes slithering behind her. Sero felt a pang of guilt as they left, but he knew he couldn''t abandon Luna.

    He felt the energy from Elena''s alligator and knew she had summoned it to help him protect the citizens. He hoped that whatever was going on would end soon, and that he could find out what happened to Casey and the others. In the meantime, he focused on keeping Luna safe. The succubus seemed to be calming down now that they were away from the main action, her hands no longer shaking as she gripped the edge of his shirt.

    As they waited, Sero began to feel a sinister presence creeping up on them. The energy in the air seemed to grow heavier and more oppressive with each passing moment. He glanced around, trying to discern the source of the danger, but all he could see were officials and civilians running around in a panic while Liam and Elena attempted to find the source of the energy.

    "Oh my god..." Luna whispered, suddenly clutching Sero''s arm tightly. "It''s so powerful."

    "What? What are you talking about-"

    "Champion, be careful!" Aphiel''s voice suddenly screamed in his thoughts.

    With a jolt, Sero realized that some of the citizens scattered about were channeling energy towards the sky, their arms raised as if they were in a trance. The wicked energy from before wasn''t from a single entity. It was coming from them.

    "What the..." Sero wondered how he didn''t notice the strange behavior earlier. ''What are they doing?"

    "You need to stop them!" Aphiel cried out in his thoughts again, a note of panic in her voice. "The energy they''re channeling... they''re causing an outbreak!"

    "What?!" Sero quickly rose to his feet, but paused when he saw Luna trembling beside him. "Luna, stay here. I need you to stay safe. Understand?" He gave her a reassuring smile before turning back to the citizens channeling their energy. He saw Liam and Elena up ahead, unaware of what was happening around them.

    "Hey-" Sero''s shout was cut short as a thundering crack boomed around them. In front of the stage, a massive black portal ringed with silver flames ripped open, brutally ripping apart the citizens that were unfortunate enough to be caught near it. The ones who had been channeling their energy all collapsed, their bodies a pale color as if their lives were sapped from them.

    "No!" Sero shouted, his heart pounding in his chest. He dashed towards the portal, not caring about his own safety as he felt the urge to stop whatever was happening. "Elena, Liam!" he yelled, his voice barely audible over the wailing of the citizens.

    Liam and Elena were already into position, bracing themselves for whatever was going to come out of the massive portal. The alligator familiar in front of them hissed at the rip in space, swishing its massive tail back and forth.

    "Whatever this is, I''ll stop it myself," Liam said, his voice firm and arrogant. Elena glared at him, but she knew there was no time to argue. They both prepared to face whatever emerged from the portal. Sero ran up behind them, his mana sword conjured and his dragon pups summoned.

    Before he joined them, an immense despair and dread crashed over him, rooting him in place. His muscles tensed, his breath caught in his throat as the portal seemed to pulsate with an unholy energy. The air around them crackled with power, and the very earth trembled beneath their feet. The silence was deafening, broken only by the frantic cries of the citizens in the distance.

    Due to the size of the portal, Sero was expecting a massive creature to come forth. Instead, a swirling cloud of darkness erupted from it, spreading outwards in all directions. It seemed to absorb the energy from the portal, growing larger and more malevolent with each passing moment. The cloud coalesced into a smaller shape, taking a humanoid form. In fact, as it completed its formation, Sero realized that it was a woman. Her skin was an unearthly shade of blue, almost like liquid nitrogen, and her long, flowing white hair drifted about her shoulders like tendrils of mist. Her eyes, two swirling pools of darkness, seemed to stare straight into the souls of everyone who gazed upon her. She was naked, but she seemed to glow with an unholy light that cast long shadows across the ground.

    Against his better judgement, Sero did think she was attractive, but that feeling was quickly squashed when he felt the wicked energy radiating off of her. It was like she was a living embodiment of despair and hopelessness. He gripped his sword tightly, steeling himself for the fight ahead.

    Liam and Elena exchanged a glance before charging forward together, the Demonic Enforcer apparently putting aside his pride in the moment. The woman seemed to smile at them, her lips curling into a cruel sneer. "Ah, children," she said, her voice like the rustling of dead leaves. "So eager to die."

    Sero never encountered one before, but he instinctively knew that the creature in front of them was easily an S-rank boss monster.

    Even if Liam and Elena realized the same thing, they didn''t stop their charge, as opposed to Sero, who remained frozen in place. The woman seemed to expect their attack, as she raised a hand, palm outward. A wave of darkness erupted from her hand, but Liam nullified it with his Pacify, whereas Elena immediately conjured a full-sized Jawlock, the dragon familiar roaring forth as it blocked the attack.

    Liam dashed forward, his staff raised high, but the woman merely waved her hand again, sending a wave of despair coursing through him. He stumbled back, but gritted his teeth as he covered himself in an aura of demonic lightning and flames, activating Provoke. Elena had merged with Jawlock and used Synchronization, boosting her strength as she summoned a legion of ghostly reptiles to her call.

    Sero shivered, watching the two S-ranks go full power from the start. The woman, however, merely smiled, her expression unreadable. She raised a hand and pointed at Liam, who was still trying to close the distance between them. A beam of pure darkness shot from her finger, piercing through the air. As Liam swung his staff to deflect it, the beam passed right through his weapon, hitting him in the chest.

    It looked like the attack did nothing to Liam, as there were no signs of damage or the like as the Demonic Enforcer frowned. A second later, he dropped to his knees, his will to fight vanishing as a glassy look of despair spread across his face.

    "No!" Elena cried out as she watched Liam fall before the woman''s unholy power. She tried to rush forward to help him, but the woman merely pointed her finger at her, and another beam of darkness shot forth. Elena managed to dodge the attack, but the rippling shockwave from the beam sent her flying backwards, landing heavily on the ground several yards away.

    Shocked at how easily the creature was holding her own against the S-ranks, Sero didn''t realize he had copied the beam skill.

    ''Dominate'' was a skill that stripped away the will of those it hit, forcing them to submit to the caster''s control.

    Sero watched as the creature sent another beam screeching towards Elena, directly hitting the Scaletamer and placing her under the effects. Finally, the creature turned towards Sero, a wicked smile playing across her lips.

    "You''re next."

 Chapter 65: Crowd Control

    Meanwhile, as they reached the hospital, Enzo, Amaya, Nala, and Kit found a horrific scene waiting for them.

    Nearby buildings were reduced to rubble, their remains scattered across the landscape. A good number of Ascendants were locked in combat with what seemed like ordinary citizens. However, the citizens seemed to be engulfed in a wicked energy, causing Amaya to shiver.

    "Did Culling... somehow take control of these people?" Kit murmured to herself.

    Enzo gritted his teeth. "Maybe. But it doesn''t matter. Are you able to do something about it?"

    "Of course," Kit gave a wry smile. "Who do you think I am?"

    The Demonic Judge bared his teeth in annoyance, but decided not to argue. "All right, we''ll leave you to it. Amaya and Nala, you come with me into the hospital."

    The two of them nodded, Amaya feeling a sick dread festering in the pit of her stomach as she worried about Casey. She desperately hoped that the boy had found a safe place to hide.

    As the three of them headed inside the first floor of the hospital, they were greeted by a scene of utter chaos. The hallways were filled with the sounds of screams and the clash of steel as Ascendants and actual Culling members wearing black masks fought each other, with patients and hospital staff caught in the middle. Enzo barked out orders, directing Amaya and Nala to help the injured while he himself engaged the Culling in battle.

    Easily dispatching the members one by one, Enzo soon faced the last remaining Culling.

    "What are you guys planning to do here?" Enzo spat.

    The Culling member merely laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "You don''t understand, do you? We''re cleansing this world. Those who resist are just fodder." He splayed his hands tauntingly.

    "So, you guys aren''t saying nothing new," Enzo scowled. "Fine by me. I''ll beat it out of you."

    As he prepared to charge at the Culling member, the latter suddenly seemed to lose the will to fight, clasping his hands in prayer instead.

    "Those to be culled, have failed to devote."

    Enzo paused, confused by the Culling member''s words. He glanced around, half expecting to see someone else speaking. When he looked back at the Culling member, he was still standing there, their eyes closed and their expression serene. "Uh...what?"

    A few seconds later, the Culling member imploded in a storm of black flames, immolating himself.

    "Son of a bitch..." Enzo muttered as he turned away from the smoldering remains. "I forgot they do that."

    Nala and Amaya joined up with Enzo, looking on in horror at the scene before them. "What just happened?" Amaya asked, her voice shaking.

    "Culling members tend to kill themselves if there''s no way out for them," Kit explained grimly, appearing beside them. "They believe it''s the only way to ensure their loyalty to the cause." She let out a shuddering breath. "It''s... it''s a sick and twisted sort of pride, really."

    "Did you deal with all the controlled people out there?" Enzo glanced at her.

    "Yup. Cassandra and Max are outside dealing with the aftermath; said that Gregor was coming soon too."

    "Good. Let''s split and check the upper floors," Enzo turned to the remaining Ascendants on the first floor who were trying to help the patients and hospital staff. "Kit, scout out every floor as quickly as you can. Amaya and Nala, take the stairs to deep search. I''ll go outside and wait for the others as well as keep an eye out. You have my number; call if anything happens. Got it?"

    The group nodded and went their separate ways. Kit blinked out of existence, likely scanning the floors using her Cat Paradox and hopefully dispatching any Culling members she encountered. Amaya and Nala took the stairs more cautiously, checking every corner as they went.

    "I hope Casey''s all right," Amaya murmured worriedly to Nala as they drew closer to the fifth floor. Bodies of unconscious Culling members were strewn on each level they ascended, giving the two women a sense of how strong Kit might be.

    "Don''t worry," the Shadereaper said, trying to sound reassuring. "We''ll find him. I''m sure he''s safe."

    As they reached the fifth floor, Amaya and Nala paused outside the door of the room where they had left Casey. Amaya took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly as she reached for the doorknob. She turned it slowly, but found it locked.

    "Casey?" Amaya rapped on the door. "You in there, buddy?" There was no response. "Nala, you think he''s keeping quiet?" she whispered, peering through the keyhole.

    "Maybe," the Shadereaper replied. "Or it could be that he''s unconscious. It would explain the locked door." She knocked on the door loudly. "Casey, it''s Nala. I''m coming in, so don''t be scared."

    Amaya watched her dissolve into shadows, slipping through the cracks of the door. A moment later, the door swung open and revealed Casey hugging Nala tightly. Behind them, the Spellblade''s blood ran cold as she noticed Casey''s grandmother looking rather pale.

    "She''s gone," the boy whispered, his face still buried in Nala''s stomach. "She''s gone."

    Amaya looked from Casey to his grandmother, her heart breaking. "I''m so sorry, Casey," she said, kneeling down beside them. "I wish there was something I could do."This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    The boy shook his head frantically. "She left and then all these bad men came out of nowhere. I remember the nurses yelling about how all the patients are leaving or something."

    The two women shared a shocked glance. "Casey, it''s going to be okay," Nala assured him, though she wasn''t sure if she was trying to convince herself more than him. "We''ll get you out of here safely. Just stay close to us, okay?"

    The boy nodded, his grip on Nala tightening. Amaya glanced back at the door, wishing that Enzo or Kit would hurry up. She took out her phone and dialed his number, but it went straight to voicemail. "Uh oh," she murmured. "I hope they''re alright."

    The few Ascendants that had responded to the emergency call were helping the injured out in the hallway as the three of them made their way out.

    "Nala, take Casey outside," Amaya nodded to the Shadereaper. "I''ll keep combing the floors with Kit¨C"

    "No need," the Paradox suddenly appeared beside them. "Culling stopped after the 7th floor. I''m not sure why, but the floors above are safe, almost like Culling didn''t need to go any higher."

    "We should hurry up then," Amaya said, glancing at Nala. "Take Casey outside and wait for us there. We''ll be right behind you."

    As they made their way out, Amaya couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief wash over her. The hallway was clear of any danger, and the remaining Ascendants were tending to the wounded. The chaos she had expected didn''t seem to materialize. Honestly, with the minimal amount of casualties, it almost felt like whatever Culling''s plan was for the hospital wasn''t well thought-out.

    The four of them met up with Enzo, who was joined by Cassandra, Max, and Gregor. The tension was palpable as they wordlessly greeted each other, suspicious of how quickly the situation at the hospital had been resolved.

    "Report?" Gregor quietly asked his Janitors. Enzo took the lead, explaining everything that had happened as Kit and Amaya filled in the blanks. The Conqueror grew more and more perplexed as they finished their recap.

    "What in the world?" Gregor murmured to himself. "Aside from the mass passing of the patients coincidentally lining up with Culling''s arrival, it seems odd that they''d spare the rest of the hospital." The Conqueror looked around at the faces of his allies, a frown on his features. "Something doesn''t add up here. We need to find out what Culling''s endgame is. Kit, you, Nala,  and Amaya stay with the children, keep them safe. My Janitors, I want you to split up. Cassandra and Max, detain the Culling members, and don''t let them invoke their pact. Enzo, secure the perimeter with me."

    But before any of them could move, the group felt an enormous pressure emanating all the way from the stage where Sero''s victory ceremony was supposed to be held. A few seconds later, a thundering crack echoed down the street, and the appearance of a large black portal ringed with silver flames could be seen.

    "Dear god, it''s an outbreak," Gregor quickly realized, turning to the group. "Slight change in plan: Cassandra and Max, you two will remain here. Nala and Amaya, please help them as well. The rest of you, come with me."

    "Wait, but aren''t Liam and Elena there too?" Amaya spoke up, the dread in her stomach knotting tightly. "There''s a reason why you need elite S-ranks with you, right?"

    The Conqueror hesitated for a moment, glancing at the Spellblade with an ominous look. "I believe you know by this point that the outbreak is most likely S-rank tier."

    Amaya swallowed hard, her eyes widening in fear. "I understand." She turned to Nala, squeezing her friend''s hand. "Stay close to the children and keep them safe. We''ll find you as soon as we can."

    "You''re coming too?" Enzo shot her a dubious glance.

    "I''m not just some observer," Amaya shot back. "I''m part of this team, and I won''t leave you all alone to face whatever''s coming." She took a deep breath, not wanting to admit that there was another reason she wanted to go with them.

    "Very well," Gregor reluctantly complied, turning back to his daughter. "My dear, please keep everyone here safe with Max and Cassandra. Contact me if anything happens." He switched his focus to Kit. "If you would?"

    Kit concentrated for a moment, but then a spark of confusion flickered in her mismatched eyes.

    "I... I can''t use my Cat Paradox. Something''s blocking the teleport there."

    "What?" Gregor had a rare expression of surprise. "A force is overpowering your abilities?"  The Conqueror shook his head. "Can you get us as close as possible, then?"

    "I''ll try." Kit concentrated again, and this time, her eyes glowed white with power. "Everyone, brace yourselves."

    In a blink of an eye, the group disappeared, leaving Cassandra, Max, Nala, and Casey. The Ascendants were slowly taking control of the chaos, organizing the affected and providing aid. Nala looked around nervously, her heart racing in her chest. She glanced over at the portal, the swirling blackness and silver flames a chilling sight as it suddenly disappeared.

    <hr>

    Blinking back into existence, the group quickly regained their bearings as they found themselves at the edge of what seemed like an enormous black barrier. The shimmering and translucent energy crackled menacingly, preventing them from traveling any further.

    Through the barrier, the group was presented with an unbelievable scene. Unconscious citizens littered the ground, some appeared drained, their bodies frail and thin. Others, however, were twisted and distorted, their flesh ripped and rent as if they had been torn apart by some unseen force. The air itself seemed to shimmer and twist, as if reality itself was warping under the pressure of whatever was happening.

    "What the fuck is up with this barrier?" Enzo scowled as he tried to push through, only to recoil from the energy that coursed through it. "It''s like something''s holding the outbreak in place."

    "Or maybe it''s keeping things out instead," Amaya pointed out, her eyes scanning the area. "Like it''s trying to prevent interference from the outside." The sight of the distorted deceased beyond the barrier sent a chill down her spine. "So whatever''s causing this, it''s strong enough to fight back against our strength, right?"

    "It would explain why I couldn''t teleport us directly inside," Kit agreed, narrowing her eyes. "But, there''s only a handful of people I know that are strong enough to disrupt my paradoxical skills."

    "That is because this barrier was not erected by a person, but rather whatever spawned from the portal," Gregor stepped up, placing a palm against the black barrier. The other three flinched as they felt the Conqueror gather immense amounts of mana, watching as he easily blasted a hole open.

    "Let''s go," he rumbled, motioning for them to follow.

    The group moved through the rip in the barrier, the black energy crackling against their skin. Amaya felt a sharp pain in her shoulder as she pushed through, but she ignored it, focusing on the task at hand. They emerged where they last saw the massive portal, unable to process what they were seeing as they halted in their tracks.

    Liam kneeled a few paces away, his face blank and his eyes glazed over. Elena had the same expression on her face, laying on her back motionlessly. Both of them appeared unharmed, yet their strange condition worried Amaya. The Spellblade''s gaze moved past them when her blood suddenly ran cold.

    The group watched in shock as Sero seemed locked in a deep kiss with an unearthly blue-skinned naked woman, the source of the terrifying pressure. For some reason, Amaya felt her heart skip a beat as she saw the two of them, a strange jealousy burning inside her. However, that feeling immediately disappeared as the woman broke away from the kiss, brutally impaling Sero''s stomach with her claws.

 Chapter 66: Love & Death

    Sero shivered as he faced the blue-skinned woman alone. He still couldn''t believe that both Elena and Liam were out of commission so easily, after he himself struggled to fight them in the tournament. His Rationality activated, steadying his nerves as his dragon pups growled at the woman.

    "Sero..." He heard Luna come up behind him. "She''s... it''s her..."

    The blue-skinned woman turned her head slowly, her swirling shadowy eyes focusing on Luna. There was a moment of recognition in the darkness, but it was quickly replaced by a cruel smile. "I see my children have forgotten their purpose for this world," she purred. "Perhaps I need to re-educate them."

    "Children?" Sero briefly shot Luna a confused look. The succubus was absolutely terrified, her gaze frozen on the woman in front of them.

    "Yes," the blue-skinned woman continued, her voice dripping with venom. "I created them all, but to see them lose their way is quite enraging." She laughed, the sound mocking and cruel. "But fear not, little one. For I shall show you the true path."

    Sero began to realize what Luna and the woman were talking about. "So you''re..."

    "Malice. The Succubus Goddess..." Luna whispered fearfully behind him.

    Sero felt another shiver run down his spine. "Goddess...?"

    "Oh, more so the primogenitor of all succubi," Malice purred sinisterly. "Soon to be a fully-fledged Catastrophe."

    Luna gasped softly behind him. "Catastrophe...?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "What does that mean for us?"

    Malice gave them a cruel smile. "Oh, it means that your world is about to change, little ones. And you''ll all be changed along with it." She stepped forward, her clawed toes piercing the earth. "Sero, I believe it was? Why don''t you come closer?"

    Sero crouched defensively, brandishing his blade as he pushed Luna back. "As much as I''d like to, I''m afraid that''s a hard pass." His dragon pups moved in front of him, growling as they prepared to attack. He tried to contact Aphiel, but felt as though something was blocking his connection with her. Sero assumed that Malice was probably behind the interference.

    Malice laughed, a cruel and mocking sound. "Oh, how cute. You think you can stop me with those little pets of yours?" She sneered, looking down at the dragons. "They are nothing compared to what I am."

    Sero narrowed his eyes, not liking where this was going. "Luna, get back!" He shouted, trying to keep his focus on Malice as he sent the dragons in to distract her. The two beasts lunged at the goddess, their claws and teeth bared.

    In the blink of an eye, Malice dodged the dragons'' attack, her movements unnatural and fluid. Her shadowy claws slashed at the pair, ripping through their flesh. The dragons yelped in pain as their claws connected with nothing but air, their bodies thrown off balance as they dispersed into green dust. The goddess advanced on them, her swirling black eyes fixed on her prey. "You foolish children," she hissed. "You think you can best me with such pathetic tricks?"

    Sero activated his entire rotation of efficiencies, Iron Skin, Inspiration, and Undying Spirit, preparing to cast Fairness on Malice. The goddess''s swirling shadowy eyes locked onto him, a dangerous glint in her pupils. "You dare to challenge me?" she hissed. "Foolish boy."

    The Succubus goddess fired a Dominate beam at him, the black beam screeching through the air. Sero couldn''t even react as it hit him directly in the chest.

    "Now, Sero," Malice purred, her voice sinister. "You will submit to me, and relinquish your life so that I may ascend to a Catastrophe."

    Sero felt his limbs grow heavy, his mind foggy. He wanted to resist, but he couldn''t seem to find the strength. He looked over at Luna, who was staring at him with wide, frightened eyes. He struggled against the goddess''s control, but it was no use.

    However, as quickly as the effects of Dominate overtook him, his Rationality blazed forth full-swing, clearing the mind control.

    "No!" he shouted, shaking his head violently. "I won''t be submissive!" He brandished his sword, ignoring the pain in his chest from the previous attack. He lunged forward, his blade swinging wildly as he tried to land a blow on the goddess. But Malice was faster, her shadowy claws slicing through the air with inhuman speed, easily deflecting his attack.

    Luna screamed, throwing beams of purple magic at the goddess. Malice barely registered the attacks, batting them away with casual disdain. The goddess advanced on Sero, her eyes burning with anger. "You foolish mortal," she hissed. "You think you can defeat me?"

    "Not really, no," Sero admitted, casting Fairness on the Succubus goddess and emulating Relentless. He grunted in pain as the overwhelming power surged through him, but he gritted his teeth and summoned Sting to help shoulder the excess strength. "But, there''s nothing else I can do now, is there?"

    Malice hissed as she felt her power forcibly match Sero''s, but otherwise seemed unimpressed. "Very well," she snarled. "Then you shall die knowing that you have failed!" The goddess lunged forward, her shadowy claws extending into long, deadly blades of darkness. Sero tried to dodge, but the goddess''s speed was uncanny. He barely managed to deflect her first attack as Sting helped bat Malice away.

    "Why aren''t my charms working?" Malice screeched, the darkness in her eyes flaring bigger. "It can''t be that you''re immune to them!?" She lunged forward again, her shadow claws glowing brighter as she attempted to overpower Sero''s defense. Sting and Sero struggled to keep up, their combined power just barely managing to deflect each attack.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Luna watched helplessly from the sidelines, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn''t bring herself to watch as Sero fought against the goddess, knowing that every attack she threw was nothing more than a feeble attempt to distract the powerful being. "Please, Sero," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "You have to find a way to defeat her."

    Despite the even playing field, Sero quickly realized that Malice was much more experienced than him in battle, gaining her strength back as his remained stable. The goddess was relentless, her attacks growing more and more ferocious with each passing moment. He could barely use any of his other skills as Malice was unyielding in her onslaught, fighting with a speed that demanded all of his focus. Sero could feel his body beginning to ache from the strain of maintaining his defenses, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before he made a mistake that would cost him his life.

    With a snap of her fingers, Malice blasted Sero and Sting away with a wave of darkness, the latter unable to handle the attack and bursting into green dust. Sero cursed as he felt his Relentless fade away, the Fairness skill also leaving his body. He quickly emulated Harmony, casting Provoke as he tried to get his bearings.

    "Oh, that''s enough from you."

    Malice appeared in front of him, a wicked smile playing across her lips as the darkness in her eyes burned larger. Sero''s body buzzed as he copied ''Dreamwalk'', realizing that the skill brought out the target''s deepest desire.

    "You may be resistant to my charms, but even if it''s for a few seconds, this much is enough for me to drain that delicious strength from you." Malice purred as the effects of Dreamwalk settled into Sero''s mind.

    Sero felt a strange sensation as the goddess''s words sank in, as if something inside him was unraveling. His world shifted, morphing into a familiar room. With a startle, he realized he was in his old childhood room, staring at his parents.

    "What do you mean, you''re not going to college?" his father asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

    "Honey, please understand how he feels," Sero''s mother interjected, trying to calm the situation. "It''s not easy for him. He''s been so focused on graduation, and now he''s not sure what he wants to do with his life." She smiled warmly at him. "How do you feel after graduating high school?"

    Sero felt a lump in his throat as he looked at them. He wanted nothing more than to tell them that he loved them, that he was proud of them, that they were the reason he kept going. But the words wouldn''t come out. Instead, he felt a surge of emotion, a mix of love, regret, and fear. It was as if all of his feelings were concentrated into a single, overwhelming sensation.

    "This isn''t real," Sero whispered to himself. "It''s just a trick. Focus on the fight." He tried to shake off the effects of the Dreamwalk, but it was no use. He felt as if he were being pulled deeper into the illusion, unable to break free from the grip of Malice''s magic.

    Before he could react, his dream world shattered, bringing him back to reality. However, it wasn''t his Rationality passive that shook him out of his stupor, but rather Malice kissing him.

    "There we go," the goddess purred as she broke the kiss, licking her lips. "That''s better." Sero felt a strange sensation course through his body, as if the kiss had drained his strength. He tried to stand, but his legs wobbled beneath him. Malice smirked.

    A few seconds later, Sero felt a searing pain in his stomach as the Succubus Goddess impaled her shadowy claws deep inside. She ripped them out with a sickening tear, leaving him gasping for air.

    As he fell to his knees, he could hear screaming from afar, but it didn''t sound like Luna. In fact, it sounded like Amaya''s voice, but that couldn''t be right. She was at the hospital with the rest of them.

    "This is easily... the worst injury... I''ve ever had..." Sero gasped, clutching at the gaping wounds in his abdomen. He could feel his life''s energy draining away, his body growing weaker by the second. Warm blood gushed out like a waterfall, staining the ground beneath him red. As he looked up at Malice, hatred and despair warring in his eyes, he felt a strange detachment from the situation. It was almost as if he was watching everything unfold from a distance.

    "Oh, don''t look so glum," the goddess mocked, twirling her claws idly. "At least you got to experience a taste of pleasure before you died." She leaned in closer, her breath hot against his cheek. "And trust me, it could have been so much worse."

    "H-how...?" Sero managed to gasp out before his world turned dark.

    <hr>

    Amaya hadn''t realized she was running towards Sero until Enzo grabbed her wrist to prevent her from getting any closer to Malice.

    "No, Amaya!" he yelled, his face twisted with desperation. "You can''t!"

    But it was too late. With a savage cry, she wrenched her arm free from his grip and sprinted towards Sero. Malice laughed, a cruel, mocking sound that filled the air, as if she knew what was coming. Enzo''s expression turned grim as he realized there was nothing he could do to stop her.

    "Kit, quickly attend to Sero. Stop his bleeding and do whatever it takes to keep him alive, then check on Liam and Elena. Enzo, go protect Amaya. I will deal with the creature." Gregor''s command was sharp and to the point, and all three of them moved into action without hesitation.

    Kit and Enzo rushed after Amaya, trying to distract Malice from targeting her. The Succubus Goddess continued to laugh, her voice both entrancing and eerie. Gregor, on the other hand, calmly walked towards her, an unreadable expression on his face.

    As the three reached Sero''s side, Amaya dropped to her knees, cradling his head in her lap. His chest rose and fell rapidly, and blood trickled from his mouth as the color rapidly drained away from his skin. She looked up at Kit with pleading eyes, silently begging her to do something.

    Without a word, the Paradox knelt and closed her eyes, holding her hands over the giant puncture marks in Sero''s stomach.

    "Amaya, you know that I''ve always had a healing skill, right?"

    The Spellblade nodded, understanding the scopes of Kit''s Cat Paradox. Though she knew Kit didn''t really have one, seeing Sero on the verge of death made her truly believe that the Paradox could heal him.

    Kit let out a small sigh of relief as a white aura bloomed over Sero''s body, quickly beginning to heal him. She stood up, nodding to Enzo and dashed off to help Liam and Elena.

    As she left, Amaya continued to watch as Sero''s gaping wounds slowly closed, the color trickling back into his face. Tears streamed down her face, and she leaned over him, her forehead resting against his. She felt a strange mix of emotions: relief that he was going to be okay, guilt for not being able to protect him, and anger at Malice for what she had done.

    Enzo had turned his back towards them, watching as Gregor approached Malice.

    "Hmm, you seem to be the strongest out of everyone here," Malice purred, her eyes glinting with amusement as she watched Gregor approach. "But even you won''t be able to stop me from having a little fun." She gestured casually towards the fallen members of the group, a cruel smile playing about her lips. "I''ve been so bored, stuck in my little realm for so long. It''s been ages since I''ve had a proper fight."

    "Your fun ends here," Gregor rumbled, his tone even but his eyes blazing with fury. "As the leader of the Janitors, I will clean up this mess."

 Chapter 67: What True Power Looks Like

    "But before that, I have a few questions I would like answered." The Conqueror narrowed his eyes.

    The Succubus Goddess tilted her head, a mocking smile playing about her lips. "Oh, do you now? Well, by all means, ask away."

    "Judging by the citizens, I assume you were called over to this world, but by whom? And are you the culprit behind the barrier erected here?"

    Malice laughed, a musical sound that grated on Gregor''s ears. "Oh, you''re clever, I''ll give you that. But no, my dear boy, I was not summoned here. This realm was but a gift from a most generous and... appreciative suitor. As for the barrier, I must admit, I have no knowledge of it. I am merely a guest here, enjoying the sights and sounds of this lovely world."

    "You''re not behind the barrier?" Gregor asked, his voice hardening. "Then tell me this: what do you want?"

    "To become a Catastrophe, of course," Malice purred, the darkness in her eyes flaring larger. "But that is not for you to decide. Now, I believe it''s time for our little fight." With a grace that belied her true nature, she flowed into a defensive stance, her long, lithe limbs seeming to flow like liquid.

    "I have heard of a Catastrophe, but what is their goal for this world?" Gregor calmly asked, his violet eyes unblinking as he studied Malice''s movements. "And why does it require you to be the one to achieve it?"

    Malice chuckled, the sound like the rustling of leaves in the wind. "You are a clever one. The goal of a Catastrophe is not so different from that of a God. We wish to shape this world in our image, to make it a reflection of our desires. As for why it must be me... that is a question for the one who summoned me." She shrugged elegantly. "But I suppose you could say that I am the most qualified among my kind. I have the power, the cunning, and the ruthlessness to see it through."

    Gregor frowned, unconvinced. "And what of the lives you''ve taken, the suffering you''ve caused? Does that not bother you?"

    "I am a very old being, mortal," Malice said, her voice cool. "I have seen empires rise and fall, civilizations come and go. Death and suffering are but the natural order of things. It is only the weak who are bothered by it. I, on the other hand, revel in it. It is what makes me strong, what makes me a god." Her lips curled into a cruel smile. "And once I have made this world into my own personal plaything, there will be no escape from my embrace. You, and everyone you hold dear, will become part of my eternal kingdom."

    The Conqueror sighed, his violet eyes glowing with power. "I''m afraid I cannot allow that to happen."

    "Who decided that?" Malice spat as she shot a point-blank Dominate at him. The beam smacked against his chest, but Gregor merely twitched his eyes in annoyance. The Succubus goddess opened her mouth in shock.

    "Another mortal, immune to my charms? Humans have really grown to be quite interesting." Malice''s tone was mocking as she advanced on Gregor, her movements fluid and deadly. "I must admit, I didn''t expect you to last this long. Most of your kind would have been swayed by my charms, or brought to their knees by my power."

    "Funny you should mention that," Gregor calmly replied as he extended a hand palm-down. "People often do that with me as well."

    Malice screeched as an overwhelming pressure slammed her to her knees. "Wh-what?" she choked out as the power of the Conqueror''s King''s Will washed over her, shattering her defenses and seizing control of her. "No... this can''t be happening!"

    "Unfortunately, my passives makes me immune to the wills of others and allows me to impose my own. Paired with my skill, and I become a veritable juggernaut against any who would attempt to influence me." Gregor''s voice was cold and harsh, his violet eyes burning with determination.

    Malice''s features contorted into a snarl of rage and humiliation. She struggled against the unyielding grip of the Conqueror''s King''s Will, but it was futile. "You... you''ll pay for this, mortal!" she hissed through gritted teeth.

    "Perhaps," Gregor replied, reaching down and grabbing Malice by the throat as he lifted her up. "But my dues will not be towards you."

    Amaya, Enzo, and even Kit watched in fear and amazement as Gregor tossed the Succubus goddess in the air, cocking back his fist. With a thundering roar, the Conqueror launched his fist into Malice''s stomach as she fell, immediately obliterating her into black liquid as a shockwave erupted from the impact. The resounding wave blasted forward, carving a path through the streets and buildings of the city as if they were made of nothing but paper.

    With a shiver, Amaya realized that Gregor had used no mana or enhancements in that punch, relying only on his raw strength. As she watched him turn to face them, she saw that his expression had returned to its usual calm, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just occurred. It was a chilling reminder of the Conqueror''s place as the 5th strongest S-rank.

    "Are you... alright, Boss?" Enzo asked hesitantly.

    "I am now, Enzo," Gregor sighed, glancing at Amaya. "I apologize for that, my dear. It seems that I let my temper get the best of me."

    Amaya smiled weakly, her heart still racing from the sight of Gregor''s display of raw power. "It''s alright, Gregor. You had every right to be angry."

    The Conqueror nodded. "As do you, it seems."

    Amaya glanced back down at Sero, who was now starting to stir in her lap. "He''s... going to be okay, right?" she asked, her voice trembling.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "I hope so," Kit appeared beside them and knelt, a worried and angry look on her face. "If Gregor hadn''t ripped apart that monster, I would''ve. How dare that bitch hurt my little bookworm."

    "Hey, Kit," Enzo put a hand on her shoulder. "You know Sero''s tougher than he looks. He''s gonna be just fine." He glanced over at his brother and Elena who had been moved closer to them. Both of them seemed to be resting now, with no signs of visible injuries. "Did you figure out what happened to those guys?"

    "I-it was because of the Succubus goddess..." A timid voice spoke up, causing the four to whirl their heads around. Luna stepped forward hesitantly, almost fearful as she cautiously stared at Gregor.

    "Ah, my dear, do not be afraid," Gregor raised his hands in a placating gesture. "You may be related to that being, but I know you aren''t like them."

    Still wary of the Conqueror, Luna shuffled closer to Kit and Amaya. "Anyway... her name is- well was, Malice, the primogenitor of all succubi. I''ve only heard stories of her back in my world, but never thought she truly existed until now."

    "So, what the hell happened?" Enzo repeated, frowning as he tried to make sense of everything.

    "I-I''m not sure," Luna scooted behind Kit and Amaya. "I just remember some of the people looking possessed as they channeled energy they shouldn''t be able to up to the sky. A portal opened and Malice came out, and those two tried to fight her, but fell to her mental attacks. Then Sero stepped up and now he''s-" she trailed off, biting her lip as she stared at the still form of her friend.

    "Take as much time as you need, my dear," Gregor assured Luna. "Do you know if those people were channeling into the portal, or the sky in general?"

    "The portal, but..." Luna trailed off, confusion written on her face. "I''m not sure what they were doing. It just seemed random, like they were all trying to outdo each other."

    The Conqueror''s face hardened as if he realized something. "The possessed at the hospital had similar energies I sensed here. It might be a far-fetched guess, but with Culling''s definite hand in controlling those people, it appears that they were attempting to force two monster outbreaks. Unfortunately, it seemed as though the one here succeeded."

    "But why would they do that?" Kit asked, frowning. "What would be the point?"

    "Catastrophe..." Luna whispered, her face paling. "Malice said she was going to be a Catastrophe using the lives she planned to take."

    Gregor nodded grimly. "That would explain why the possessed had the same energy signatures. They were all being channeled into her."

    Amaya gasped. "But that means... if they succeeded here, then what about the other outbreak?"

    "Uh-uh, I cleared all of the members at the hospital and didn''t sense anything else," Kit shook her head. "There''s no way they''d have been able to cause another outbreak."

    The Conqueror considered her words before nodding in agreement. "It seems so. However, we cannot be too hasty. It would be best to investigate further and make sure of that. I''ll inform the others at the hospital to double their watch. Enzo, come with me and bring your brother and Elena; we''ll see if there are any medics we can place them in the care of. Kit and Luna, please help the remaining citizens here." Gregor paused, glancing at Amaya who continued to cradle Sero''s head in her lap.

    "Amaya," he began gently, "I understand this must be difficult for you. You mustn''t forget that you are not alone. There are people here who care about you and will support you through this." He offered a reassuring smile before turning to go. "We''ll take care of everything here. You focus on your friend."

    Kit gave the pair a long look, as if she wanted to be the one holding Sero, but decided to leave him in Amaya''s care instead. As the others dispersed to tend to the aftermath, Amaya remained cradling Sero''s head in her lap. The tears continued to fall unchecked down her cheeks, but she refused to let them stain his face. She brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead, her fingers trembling slightly.

    "I''m sorry, Sero," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I tried so hard to protect you. I didn''t want this to happen. I don''t know what I''ll do without you."

    The Scholar''s breathing steadied as Kit''s healing spell slowly took effect. Amaya''s shoulders slumped in relief, but she refused to let go of Sero''s head. Tears continued to stream down her face, but she wiped them away before they could fall on him. She couldn''t bear the thought of him seeing her like this, so weak and helpless.

    "You''re going to be okay, Sero," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You''re so strong. You''ve faced so much already, and you''ve always come out on top." Amaya swallowed hard, trying to fight back the tears. "You idiot, why do you always have to put yourself in danger?"

    She didn''t know how long she sat there, cradling his head in her lap. Time seemed to stand still as she waited for him to wake up. She was vaguely aware of people moving around her, of Kit and the others taking care of the aftermath. But all she could focus on was Sero, and the gentle rise and fall of his chest as his injuries slowly recovered.

    <hr>

    After the situations at both the front of the stadium and the hospital had been resolved and the survivors were taken care of, the remaining members of the group reconvened at the Ascendants Association, where the three S-ranks were promptly shuttled to the infirmary.

    Or, as it turns out, just Sero and Elena, since as soon as Enzo picked up his brother to move to the infirmary, Liam awoke, angrily wrestling free from his grasp. The Demonic Judge simply shrugged it off, but appeared relieved that his younger brother was fine.

    Elena awoke soon after, but complied with the medics and remained in the infirmary to rest for a little while before leaving. Soon, it was only Sero and Amaya in a private corner of the association infirmary.

    Amaya sat beside Sero''s bed, gazing at his sleeping face. It had become a familiar situation, her waiting for him to wake up from exhausting himself, but this time was different, as Sero had been heavily injured. She couldn''t help but worry, despite the reassurance from the medics and the others that he would be fine. Her fingers traced gently over the bandages covering his stomach, feeling the rise and fall of his breath beneath them.

    "My little bookworm still asleep?" came a familiar voice from behind. Amaya didn''t have to turn to know it was Kit. "I thought he would have woken up by now."

    She sighed, shaking her head. "He''s been hurt before, but never like this." Amaya glanced at the bedside clock, noting that it had been over an hour since the fight had ended. "I just wish I knew how long it''s going to take for him to-"

    Her words trailed off as Sero''s eyelids fluttered open. He blinked a few times, seeming disoriented before focusing on Amaya. "A-Amaya?" he croaked, his voice hoarse.

    "Hey," Amaya said, relief flooding through her. She reached out and gently smoothed his hair away from his forehead. "How do you feel?"

    "Like shit," the Scholar replied, noticing the Paradox behind her. "Oh, hey Kit."

    Kit smiled and waved at Sero before taking her leave. Amaya was surprised that she didn''t stay longer or dote over Sero. She wasn¡¯t sure, but Amaya thought Kit gave her a knowing smile as she left the two alone.

 Chapter 68: Confessions

    Turning her attention back to the Scholar, Amaya gave him a weak smile, her expression still etched with worry. "How''s the pain?" she asked, reaching out to squeeze his hand gently.

    Sero considered the question for a moment, testing his body''s reaction to different movements. "It''s manageable," he replied, his voice still hoarse. "What happened?"

    Amaya took a deep breath before recounting everything after Sero was gutted by Malice, including how Kit was able to place a healing spell on him, Gregor displaying his strength as he overwhelmed the Succubus goddess, and how the situations at both the front of the stadium and the hospital were under control.

    "That''s...insane," Sero breathed, his eyes widening in disbelief. "I can''t believe I almost died after my first kiss. And it was with the Succubus goddess, no less."

    "Don''t joke about that," Amaya said, a shiver running down her spine at the memory as a strange sense of jealousy arose within her. "But you''re right. You should be dead. You''re lucky, I guess, that she didn''t¨C" She paused, her voice trailing off as she realized what she was about to say. "I mean, she could have done a lot more damage. A lot."

    "Ugh, that''s what she said to me before I passed out too," Sero closed his eyes and groaned. "What could''ve been worse than dying?"

    "Eternal torture as she drains you over and over again, cursed to always be on the edge of pain and ecstasy but never reaching it until you go insane?"

    Sero winced at the mental image. "That''s...not helping. So, uh, how''s everyone else? Are they all okay?"

    Amaya gave a soft smile. "Yeah. We also managed to rescue Casey, but unfortunately his grandmother... passed away..."

    Sero closed his eyes again, grimacing. "I''m sorry to hear that. At least he''s alive, though. That''s what matters most."

    "Did you know that Casey wanted to be here for you, too? Seems like he''s getting more attached to you."

    The Scholar chuckled, then winced with regret as the action irritated his wounds. "I''ve agreed to start teaching the kid how to grow stronger," he said. "His basics over mana seem pretty good, thanks to you, apparently."

    Amaya blushed, pleased at the mention. "Well, I''m glad I could help. And I''m glad he''s here. I mean, he''s a good kid." She paused, looking around the room before continuing. "So, um, you''re going to be okay? You know, after this?"

    Sero thought for a moment before answering. "I think so. I mean, I''m still processing everything that''s happened, but... I feel like I need to do something now. I don''t know what yet, but I can''t go back to my old life. It doesn''t feel right anymore." He clenched his hands in front of him. "I forgot to mention this before, but I copied a skill from Luna. And earlier, I was able to copy skills from Malice."

    Amaya''s blood ran cold as she realized what Sero was saying. "Wait, you mean to tell me--"

    "Yeah. Not just Ascendants, but I can copy skills from monsters too."

    "Oh, no," Amaya smiled wryly, expecting him to have a twisted expression. "I''m guessing you''re going to copy all the monster skills you can, huh?"

    Instead of the usual distortion on his face, Amaya was surprised to see a serious frown instead.

    "If it was the old me who had just been revived, yeah, I''d be more excited about it. But, the skills I copied from Malice are on a whole different... moral ground than those I''ve gained from Ascendants," Sero explained. "On top of that, how do you think I''d feel using a monster''s skill?"

    Amaya blinked, finally understanding what he meant. "Oh," she breathed, nodding slowly. "You wouldn''t feel... human, right?"

    Sero sighed. "Yeah. I''m still going to use them regardless, but it''s just something I became aware of."

    Quietly observing the Scholar, Amaya sensed that Sero had changed a lot. Compared to when she first met him, he was now much less lecherous, obsessive, and overall... become a better person. He hadn''t commented on her appearance unwarranted in a while, something that Amaya didn''t think she''d miss. It was a jarring thought to realize, and for some reason, Amaya found herself strangely missing the person Sero used to be.

    Granted, there were some aspects that she wouldn''t miss, but for the most part, with everything Sero had gone through, it seemed like he lost a part of himself as well.

    "Hey, Sero?" Amaya started, her voice soft. "You know, if you ever want to talk about anything... anything at all, you can come to me, alright? I''m here for you."

    "Yeah, I know that," the Scholar sighed again. "I appreciate it, Amaya."

    "No, I mean it," she insisted, her expression serious. "I know we''ve been through a lot together, and I know that things have changed between us... but I still care about you. And I want you to know that you can always talk to me, okay?"This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Sero sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he seemed perplexed at Amaya''s insistence. "Where''s this coming from?"

    "I-" Amaya paused, blushing, as she fumbled for words. "I guess I just... I don''t know. I''ve been thinking about things, and I realized that... you''re important to me." She looked down at her hands, her cheeks flushed red.

    "You''re important to me, too," Sero said softly. "I mean, you''ve been there for me since the beginning, and you''ve helped me a lot. You''re one of the few people I can actually trust." He paused, looking into Amaya''s eyes. "And I want you to know that I care about you too, Amaya. You''re not just my friend, you''re... special to me."

    Amaya''s heart skipped a beat, and she could feel her cheeks flush even harder. She looked away, blinking back tears as she fought to compose herself. "I-I never expected to hear that from you," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I mean... I''m glad to hear it, but..."

    "Yeah, yeah," the Scholar glanced away as he rested his head back on the pillow. "We shouldn''t explore whatever this is, and you''re with Enzo."

    "What?" Amaya said, frowning. "I''m not exactly with him. We''re... it''s complicated. But I don''t think that means we can''t..." She trailed off, unsure of how to finish the sentence.

    Sero made a face, seemingly exasperated. "Hey, Amaya, I''m not sure exactly what your feelings are, but one thing I''m certain of is this: It might be for the moment, but I''ve fallen in love with you. Whether or not it''s real, I don''t care. Maybe it''s a result of everything I''ve been through and you being there for me, but the fact is, right now I see you as more than just a friend."

    Amaya''s heart raced, and she felt a lump form in her throat. This was not something she had expected to hear from Sero. They had been through so much together, but she had never considered him in a romantic way. She had always thought of him as just a friend, someone she could confide in and rely on. But hearing him say those words, it made her feel... different.

    "You don''t have to reply right away, since I know you''re figuring out your feelings too," Sero continued, closing his eyes. "Getting my guts ripped out made me realize I can die very easily and at any moment. So, I''m just going to go and do what I feel like doing, and deal with the consequences later."

    Amaya smiled softly, her heart still racing. She wanted to tell him that she felt the same way, but she was hesitant. She didn''t want to ruin their friendship if things didn''t work out between them. But as she looked at his peaceful face, she couldn''t help but feel a pull toward him.

    "Sero," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I-I''m not sure what to say. I mean, you''ve been through so much, and I don''t want to take advantage of that. Or make things awkward between us."

    "I know," he replied, his eyes still closed. "Take as much time as you need. I''m just letting you know how I feel. If anything changes, I''ll let you know."

    Amaya bit her lip, feeling the weight of his words. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but she couldn''t bring herself to do it yet. Instead, she reached out and took his hand in hers. His skin felt warm and familiar against hers. They lapsed into silence, neither of them sure of what to say or do next.

    Outside, the sun began to set, painting the sky a breathtaking shade of pink and orange. The birds sang their evening songs, and the scent of summer filled the air. Amaya closed her eyes, savoring the moment, wondering if things could ever go back to the way they were before the attack. Before she knew how she felt about Sero.

    "Hell of a victory ceremony, huh?" Enzo''s gruff voice broke the silence. Amaya''s eyes snapped open, and she realized he and the others had approached them. Kit, Nala, and Gregor stood beside Enzo, all of them gazing at Amaya and Sero.

    "Oh, hey guys," Sero casually replied, slipping his hand out from Amaya''s. "What''s up?"

    "Just came to see how you''re doing," Enzo said, his expression unreadable. "You know, after everything."

    "Stomach''s a little sore, but your training toughened me up," the Scholar grinned at Enzo.

    "Good, good," the Demonic Judge replied with a nod. "You''re no student of mine if a stab in the stomach can take you down for good."

    "That''s cause my teacher''s an asshole," Sero fired back playfully.

    "Aww, you guys are finally admitting to it!" Kit clapped her hands happily. "I knew you two would eventually realize that."

    "Where¡¯s Luna and Casey?" Sero ignored the Paradox, but he didn¡¯t deny it.

    "They¡¯re in another room waiting for us," Nala replied. "I¡¯m going to take them back to your place to stay."

    "Oh, do you need my key card?"

    "Luna said she has one already."

    "She¨C what? When did she get one?"

    As the group interjected themselves, Amaya quietly moved away from Sero, her heart still racing from the earlier conversation. She felt a mixture of emotions swirling within her; she was grateful for their support, but at the same time, she wished they hadn''t interrupted. The atmosphere seemed to change as they all began to converse.

    "I''m glad you''re ok," Nala said, giving Sero a small smile. "Didn''t think you''d actually go that far with a succubus. And their goddess, no less."

    "Hey, it''s not like I wanted it to happen," Sero shrugged. "And I definitely didn''t want to get stabbed. That part sucked."

    Gregor cleared his throat, glancing at everyone. "While it''s unfortunate that Sero''s ceremony had been sullied, we still need to discuss the matter of Culling and the Catastrophes. However, I believe we should let Sero rest and recover for tonight, and reconvene tomorrow. Understood?"

    Everyone nodded in agreement, and began to disperse, offering Sero well-wishes and words of encouragement. As they walked away, Amaya lingered for a moment, unsure of what to say. She felt a pang of guilt for not being able to talk to Sero properly, but she also knew that she needed time.

    "Hey Sero," she said finally, her voice soft. "Thanks for being honest with me."

    The Scholar grunted back, looking away for a moment before meeting her gaze again. "Yeah, well, I had to say something."

    Amaya nodded, feeling a weight lift from her chest. "I appreciate that," she said softly. "And, uh... thanks for not pushing me. I know it can''t be easy for you, either."

    Sero shrugged as he snapped his fingers, summoning Moss and Lime. "Like I said, I''m not one to pry or push."

    Even though she was reluctant to leave, Amaya forced herself to go. "Okay, well, I''ll see you tomorrow. Get some rest."

    "You too."

 Chapter 69: New Semester, New Projects

    Sero watched Moss and Lime bounce all over his bed, growling and chirping as they kept him company. They were both exhausted from the battle, and he knew they deserved a good rest. He glanced over at Amaya as she walked away, feeling a mixture of emotions within him. He was relieved that she seemed to understand, but he couldn''t help but feel a twinge of regret. He wished things could have gone differently, that he could have found the words to express himself better.

    "Oh, well," he sighed to himself. "At least I said it."

    He closed his eyes, letting the exhaustion of the day wash over him. The bed beneath him was soft, and the room was dimly lit by the moonlight streaming in through the window. The familiar scent of lavender filled the air, and he could hear the distant sounds of the city beyond the tower''s walls. It was a peaceful, almost serene moment, but Sero couldn''t help but feel restless.

    "Champion?"

    Sero''s eyes shot open hearing Aphiel''s voice within his thoughts.

    "Hey."

    "What in the world happened? I tried to contact you, but it seemed like something was preventing me from doing so." The goddess seemed relieved.

    "It''s a long story," Sero replied, rubbing his forehead. "But I''m ok now. At least physically."

    "Well, I''m glad to hear that," Aphiel said, sounding sincere. "So, what happened after that massive rift opened?"

    Sero began to explain the events that had transpired, starting with the battle against Malice and ending with his confrontation with Amaya. As he spoke, he could feel a weight lifting from his chest, as if telling the goddess his version of events somehow made them less burdensome. He paused, considering whether to mention his feelings for Amaya, but decided against it. It was something personal, and he didn''t want to share it with anyone else.

    "And that''s about it," he finished, feeling drained. "It''s been a long day."

    "I can imagine," Aphiel replied, her tone gentle. "And I''m sorry I could not be there to help you."

    "Not your fault; something was blocking our line of communication," Sero shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. He sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, and watched Moss and Lime continue to wrestle playfully. "I''m more concerned about the fact that such a powerful creature was able to be summoned over here. I thought it was a one-way street, where they had to force themselves here, not the other way around."

    "Well, that is indeed a worrying development," Aphiel mused.

    Sero nodded in agreement. "I''m going to need some time to process everything that happened today, and figure out what it all means. But for now, I think I''m going to get some rest. Thanks for listening, Aphiel."

    "Of course, champion," the goddess replied softly, almost as if she sensed Sero¡¯s emotional turmoil. "I will be here if you need me. Sleep well." Her voice faded, and Sero felt the weight of her presence slip away. With a sigh, he crawled back under the covers and closed his eyes. The dragon pups curled up beside him, their warmth and presence providing a comforting buffer against the lingering worries and questions that threatened to keep him awake.

    Unbeknownst to everyone around him, Sero had been consumed by the fact that he had nearly died earlier. The thought of Malice being able to kill him, of her strength and power, had left a lasting impression on him. He had been pushed to his limits during the Ascendants Tournament, but fighting the Succubus goddess was a completely different experience.

    Even though he had brushed it off and joked about it with the others, Sero didn''t admit to them how terrified he was when he was lying on the ground bleeding out. He thought about how his life flashed before his eyes, about all the things he had yet to do and the people he had yet to meet. It was a surreal moment, one that he never wanted to experience again. That was one of the main reasons why he decided to come out and confess to Amaya.

    At the thought of her, Sero''s heart ached. He knew he had been reckless in confessing his feelings to her so bluntly, but after barely surviving Malice, he couldn''t help but feel like he had nothing left to lose. He wished he could take back what he''d said, but at the same time, he knew that it was the truth, at least for the time being.

    Heaving a heavy sigh, Sero forced his Rationality to activate, clearing his mind of all thoughts as he tried to sleep. It was no use; the image of Malice''s wicked grin and the phantom pain of her claws haunted him even as he lay awake. He sat up again, the dragon pups sensing his distress and curling closer. He absently scratched behind their ears, their purring filling the air as they tried to comfort him.

    He didn''t know how much time had passed before he finally drifted off to sleep, his mind too tired to keep fighting against the exhaustion any longer.

    <hr>

    The next morning, Sero awoke, feeling much better now that his body had more or less completely recovered. Moss and Lime stretched and yawned, their little bellies exposed as they woke up. Sero couldn''t help but smile as he watched them. Despite everything that had happened, he was glad to have them in his life. They were like little guardian angels, watching over him.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The dragon pups chirped softly, nudging Sero with their noses. "Good morning, champion," Aphiel chuckled as she materialized beside the bed. "I trust you slept well?"

    "Yeah, I-"

    Sero froze for a moment, staring at the physical manifestation of Aphiel in the association infirmary.

    "I''m sorry, am I still dreaming?"

    "No, you are not dreaming," Aphiel said with a grin. "I''m not actually here in your realm, but the magic I have learned from Hecate and Isis allows me to project a vision of me that only you can see."

    "So, you''ve been learning stuff like that?" Sero murmured, staring at the goddess with wonder. "If you never told me about this, I''d have thought I developed schizophrenia."

    "Anyway," Aphiel ignored his comment. "After having our communication blocked by some unknown force yesterday, I inquired with the other goddesses about other forms that are not so easily blocked. That is how I came to learn this projection magic."

    Sero nodded, still a bit dazed. "So, what''s the point of all this? I''m guessing you don''t just want to show off your new trick."

    "Indeed," the goddess nodded, a serious look entering her emerald eyes. "Using projection magic is different from divine communication, so even if the latter is blocked, there may be a chance that the former will not. As an added bonus, this method does not require me to... see through your eyes in order to contact you."

    Sero blinked, then chuckled nervously. "Uh, right. Well, that''s a relief."

    Moss and Lime sniffed around Aphiel curiously, purring as they rubbed against the goddess''s legs.

    "Wait, I thought only I could see you," Sero watched his dragon pups interact with Aphiel.

    "That is correct, but creatures deeply attuned to spiritual energy and mana can sense me still," Aphiel explained with a smile. "You and the dragon pups are the only ones who can see me this clearly, though." She nuzzled Moss and Lime, who were now rubbing against her, purring contentedly.

    Sero watched the interaction with a mixture of amusement and longing. He wished he could be as carefree and unburdened as his dragon pups. They didn''t have to worry about the weight of the world on their shoulders or the constant threat of danger lurking around every corner. They could just enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like playing with Aphiel and curling up for a nap.

    "All right, champion," Aphiel stood up and bowed her head. "The council is convening to discuss the events revolving around the intrusion of the Catastrophe candidate, so I will have to take my leave for a while."

    She looked down at the dragon pups, her expression softening. "I trust you two will take good care of your master while I am gone?" They tilted their heads in unison, regarding Aphiel with their emerald eyes. After a moment, they chirped in affirmation, their tiny claws scrabbling at the goddess''s robes. Aphiel laughed, scratching them behind their ears before finally stepping back. "All right then, I will leave you both to it. Farewell for now, champion. Do not hesitate to reach out to me, even if I am unavailable."

    With a final wave, the goddess disappeared in a swirl of mist, leaving Sero and his dragon pups alone once more. The silence that fell over the infirmary was almost deafening after the presence of Aphiel. The two dragon pups looked up at Sero, their emerald eyes filled with concern. He smiled reassuringly and scratched them behind their ears, murmuring softly. "It''s all right, guys. We''ll be fine."

    <hr>

    Later in the afternoon, Kit came by to check up on Sero in the association infirmary. He was sitting cross-legged on the bed, gently scratching Moss and Lime behind their ears as they napped on a pillow next to him. "Hey, Sero," she said softly, stepping inside. "How you feeling?"

    "Much better," Sero replied, stretching on the bed as the dragon pups awoke and chirped over to Kit. "If it wasn''t for your healing magic, I think I''d need more time to recover."

    "Wouldn''t have worked without Amaya''s help," Kit smiled knowingly as she cooed at the dragon pups. "She was worried sick about you, you know."

    "I can imagine," Sero sighed as he leaned back in his bed. "So, what''s the plan for today?"

    Kit glanced at him curiously as she scooped up Moss into her arms, causing Lime to bark with jealousy. "Gregor didn''t tell you?"

    "Tell me what?" Sero pulled out his phone from his Shadow Shift, immediately seeing his screen flooded with notifications and texts. "If he texted it to me, I definitely didn''t see it with my phone blowing up."

    "You need to set a filter on it or something," Kit sighed as she set Moss down and picked up Lime. "Anyway, the rest of them are meeting us here and then heading over to one of the conference rooms. We''re going to be discussing plans with the top five guilds in the nation."

    "The top five?" Sero perked up, sitting up in the bed. "That''s huge. Are you sure we should be sharing this with them?"

    "Of course we should," Kit scoffed. "We''re the ones who found the Catastrophe candidate, remember? They need us just as much as we need them, and it''s better that more people know about it, especially if they''re strong." She paused, glancing at him. "Are you nervous or something?"

    "No, just curious," Sero licked his lips, a hungry look in his eyes. "So, there''ll be a lot of strong skills- people at the meeting?"

    "Ah, now I get it," Kit smiled to herself. "Yes, my little bookworm, powerful delegates from each guild will be there, but I wouldn''t count on copying any skills during the conference."

    Sero nodded, slightly disappointed. "I see. So what kind of information are we planning to share with them?"

    "Pretty much everything you''ve told Gregor, but it''ll be quite hard to convince them of that," Kit admitted as Moss jumped into her arms and began to fight with Lime. "To you, it''s only been a little more than a month since you''ve adjusted to the new world, but to us, we''ve had an entire year to settle into what we thought we knew."

    "I understand," Sero said, frowning. "It took me a while to get used to my situation, too." He paused, thinking for a moment. "So what kind of preparations have they made for the Catastrophes? Do we know anything about that?"

    "Well, this is all recent news to them, so the nation''s government, mercenary branches, Ascendants Association, and all major guilds are scrambling to organize countermeasures. It''s why Gregor called for a meeting with the top five guilds to discuss how we should proceed."

    "Damn, so this meeting will probably take a while, huh?" Sero made a face. "I mean, it''s important that everyone''s taking it seriously, but I don''t want to spend the whole day sitting around and talking about it."

    The Paradox giggled, setting the dragon pups down. "I know you''re not enthusiastic about it, but now that you''re an S-rank as well as the center of everything, you don''t really have a choice."

    "Hey, I''m not that important," Sero protested, but his face betrayed him as it flushed slightly. "And I''m not that strong either. You and the others are the ones who should be talking to them."

    Kit shook her head as she looked at him fondly. "Sero, you''re much stronger than you think you are. It''s not just about having a high combat rating. You''ve got a sharp mind, proven by how you were able to win the tournament against two S-ranks."

    Sero opened his mouth, then closed it, regret flickering in his eyes. "Maybe I should''ve quit after beating Zioth," he grumbled unhappily.

 Chapter 70: The Student Council is Intimidating

    After Sero got the clear from his association doctor, Gregor and Enzo soon arrived at the  infirmary, followed by Max and Cassandra. Nala stopped by to check up on Sero before heading back to his penthouse to keep watch over Luna and Casey. Finally, Amaya came from the Ascendant Liaison office, but avoided any eye contact with Sero.

    "Are we all ready to go?" Gregor rumbled to the group, who all nodded in agreement. "Good. Let us meet with the other guild representatives."

    With that, they all exited the infirmary and headed toward the conference room where the meeting was about to begin. As they walked, Kit whispered to Sero, "The five representatives are all S-ranks as well. You''ll be sitting right beside me, so don''t worry about saying anything wrong or making a fool of yourself."

    "I''ll also be sitting next to you," Cassandra smiled blankly at him, walking on the other side.

    "O-oh, thanks-"

    "Do you not remember me telling you my bookworm is off-limits?" Kit hissed at the Glass Queen.

    "Oh, I remember," Cassandra replied with a ditzy smile. "But I''m just making sure he''s not feeling nervous or out of place. It''s not everyday you get to sit in a meeting with the top five guilds of the Pentagram."

    Kit looked like she wanted to say something, but held her tongue as the group approached a set of grand doors. The Paradox glanced over at Sero, giving him a reassuring smile before they all entered the conference room.

    The large space was akin to a circular auditorium, with rows of chairs set up in front, facing a raised dais at the center. The dais was adorned with a large, ornate table and chairs for the representatives of the five guilds. As Sero and the others entered, they immediately attracted the attention of the gathered guildmasters.

    Gregor led the group to the center, where the five representatives stood up to greet them.

    "So, I assume this man we haven''t seen before is the Scholar?" A sharp-looking man with thin framed glasses and neatly combed brunette hair asked. He had fair skin, high cheekbones, and a curious spark within his dark golden eyes as he gazed at Sero.

    "Yeah. I mean, yes, I am," Sero replied, feeling slightly self-conscious as he looked at the sharp-looking man. "Um, I''m Sero Kassel, the Scholar. Nice to meet you guys."

    "Kaizo Renn," the sharp-looking man smiled warmly. He was dressed in a finely tailored suit that perfectly fit his slim frame. "Archivist class, Vicemaster of the Paradiso guild."

    "J''takk Malto," a caramel-skinned woman with pale-gray eyes next to Kaizo spoke next. Her black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, with a black and white bandana wrapped around her forehead. She wore a black bomber jacket decorated with various graffiti over a simple black crop top that revealed her toned abs. Her skinny jeans were tucked into her combat boots, and she gave the appearance of a strong, agile fighter. "Master Gambler, head of the Fortune''s Favored guild," J''takk said nonchalantly with a nod.

    "I''m Ione Morrigan," the other woman went next, giving Sero a soft grin. She had snow-white skin, deep-blue doe eyes, and shoulder-length dark hair. She wore a flowing black dress that hugged her curvy figure, showing off her cleavage and legs. Shortest of out the five representatives, Sero sensed an overwhelming amount of mana from her. "Omen class, Vicemaster of the Calypso guild. Hi, Kit." Ione waved to the Paradox.

    "Hi, Ione," Kit returned with an equally warm smile.

    "Meredith Vale," the biggest man out of the five rumbled. He was huge, nearly the same size as Gregor, with dark skin and long blonde hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. His features were broad and rugged, and his dark brown eyes had a glint of steel within them. He wore a black tank top and athletic shorts that showed off his rippling muscles. Sero wanted to ask about his name, but bit his tongue as Meredith narrowed his eyes. "Threadweaver class, guildmaster of the Chrome Dome."

    Sero fought his hardest not to laugh, which suddenly became easy as the last man at the other side of the table stood up.

    "Dante Moreno," the man with shockingly vivid green eyes spoke, his voice even but threatening. His jet-black hair was slicked back, and he wore a white button-up shirt that was rolled at the sleeves and tucked into his black jeans. A scar ran diagonally across his tan face, adding to his menacing demeanor. "Sin Reaper, Requiem''s guildmaster."

    Sero was still processing the introductions when Kaizo spoke up again. "So, Sero, I''ve heard a lot about you and your abilities. I must say, I''m impressed. The tournament was incredibly intense, and you handled yourself quite admirably."

    "Thanks," Sero said, feeling a bit more at ease. He glanced around at the others, wondering what they thought of him. "I appreciate it. It was really tough, and I''m just glad I could pull through in the end."

    "That''s great and all, but can we get started with what we came here to do?" Dante snapped. "I don''t have all day."

    Sero felt a sense of deja vu as he felt the same irritation he had when he first met Enzo, Liam, and even Max.

    Everyone sat down, and Sero took a seat across from Dante. "All right, let us begin then," Gregor rumbled. "We''ve all been briefed on your intel regarding the nature of monster outbreaks and Catastrophes."

    "And how do we know that that''s true?" Dante interjected, casting a dubious glance at Sero. "How can we trust someone whom we didn''t even know about until recently?"

    "As leader of the Janitors mercenary branch, I support Sero''s claims," Gregor calmly replied. "I have also witnessed and executed a monster who was a candidate to be a Catastrophe." If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "I second," Enzo raised his hand in agreement. Cassandra smiled as she joined in; Max reluctantly raised his as well.

    "I''m also vouching for him," Kit spoke up, shooting a glance at Ione.

    Amaya raised her hand as well, but said nothing.

    "Four of the seven Janitors alongside three of the top ten S-rank elites," Kaizo murmured. "I was on the fence, but I think the claims are real, Dante."

    "The guildmaster of Calypso also granted me full authority to side with Sero Kassel," Ione chimed in, glancing at Sero with a small smile. "I trust that carries some weight."

    "Even if he''s backed up by the big shots, I''m still skeptical," Meredith rumbled, sitting back and folding his arms. "I can''t trust him without any further proof."

    "I don''t really care, but Meredith makes a good point, yeah?" J''takk kicked her boots up on the table. "Seeing a lot of risk rather than reward, but that''s not my problem."

    "I''ll give you the benefit of the doubt," Dante said to Sero, his eyes narrowing. "We''ve all seen the reports and footage." He pulled out two folders, one noticeably less filled than the other. "But here''s the thing: we don''t have any record of you any further than a month ago. It''s like you suddenly just appeared out of the blue. Not only that, but you''ve become an S-rank during that short amount of time, so forgive me if I''m not exactly too trusting of you."

    Sero felt a chill run down his spine. He knew Dante was right; he should have expected this. "I understand your skepticism," he said, trying to maintain his composure. "But I assure you, everything I''ve told you is true. If you give me the chance to explain, I will gladly do so."

    "Fine," Dante''s eyes glowed neon green. "Then do so."

    Sero''s body buzzed as he copied ''Unbroken Oath'', which forced the target to speak the truth, or they would suffer mental attacks if they lied. However, since it was a skill that affected Sero''s mental state, his Rationality quickly nullified the effects of Dante''s magic. He had to fight the urge to smile, though Sero had no intentions of lying.

    He began to explain everything relevant to the discussion, starting with his resurrection by Aphiel to learning about his class, and wrapping up with the tournament and encountering Malice.

    As he spoke, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of weight lifting from his chest. Even though Dante''s skepticism hadn''t completely dissipated, Sero could tell that he was being taken more seriously. The others in the room seemed engaged as well, nodding along as he spoke.

    After he finished, Dante sat back in his chair, a perplexed and contemplative look on his face. "That''s quite a story," he said, addressing Sero. "But I still can''t help but feel like something''s missing. There are too many gaps in your history, and it''s all happening too fast. Why is it that you, of all people, get to be the one to copy any skill or passive in the world? Since we realize classes to be largely based on personality, then Kaizo here would''ve been a Scholar instead of an Archivist. You said you floated from one major to another, but never graduated. How does that make sense?"

    "I-I''m not sure..." Sero stammered. "I don''t know why it happened to me, but... I think it''s because of what I''ve been through. Everything I''ve experienced has led me to this moment." He recalled what Aphiel had said to him about some higher being specifically choosing him to become a Scholar. "I didn''t make the rules."

    The Sin Reaper stared at Sero long and hard, his expression unreadable. Then, with a sigh, he stood up, walking over to him.

    Sero became reminded of the time he was first introduced to the other members of the Janitors as the energy in the air crackled. Overwhelming pressure exuded from Dante, but it was matched by Kit''s and Enzo''s. Gregor''s eye twitched, but he refrained from joining in as Dante stood in front of Sero.

    "Do you know why I''m so wary of you?"

    Sero shook his head, feeling a little intimidated by the intense gaze of the Sin Reaper. By no means was he as strong as the three S-rank elites in the room, but he was definitely stronger than Sero.

    Next to him, Kit watched Dante warily, Enzo doing the same off to the side. Cassandra had scooted over to give Dante room, the usual unfocused look in her eyes replaced by rapt intrigue.

    "I''m not the only one who shares this feeling, but ever since you began to gain attention, there are those who worry about you," the Sin Reaper began quietly. "Not for your well-being or safety, but of the threat you pose."

    Sero flinched at the harsh words. "I-I don''t mean to cause any trouble," he stammered.

    "And how do I know that? How do the rest of those who don''t know you, know that? How would non-Ascendants know that you wouldn''t wreak havoc on the world with the powers you possess? You can copy and replicate any skill or passive in the world, and you don''t realize how frightening that could be to some people?"

    Dante''s words stung Sero, but he knew they were fair. He couldn''t really blame the other for not trusting him. It would be impossible for Sero to understand what it was like for them, not having grown up in their world. The Sin Reaper''s eyes narrowed, as if he was trying to search Sero''s soul for any signs of malevolence. "So, tell me, Sero. Do you have any intention of using your powers for evil?" Dante casted Unbroken Oath again.

    "No. I want to live a lazy and comfortable life." Sero swallowed, meeting Dante''s gaze. "I''ve been through so much already, and I just want to be happy. I don''t want to hurt anyone."

    Even though his Rationality had negated the effects of Unbroken Oath, Sero truly meant what he said. Dante remained glaring at Sero for a moment longer before his eyes dimmed.

    "Guess you''re telling the truth," he muttered, not realizing that Sero had never been under the spell. "I''ll take your word for now." Dante turned to walk back to his seat, but then paused and looked back.

    "I''m giving you my tentative trust for the moment, but if you slip up even once, I will invoke the authority of the Pentagram to hunt you down. You may have the Janitors and some of the S-rank elites on your side, but it can''t compare to the combined might of both the Pentagram and the Ascendants Association."

    "W-what?" Sero stammered, shocked by the threat.

    "Did you think the Ascendants Association was on your side?" Dante asked, his voice devoid of emotion. "They may not be very supportive of you, but by no means are they completely on your side. While it''s true that some divisions are more or less in favor of you, the majority views you with a cautious eye. They''ve seen what you can do, and they''re not about to just sit back and watch you run amok. They''ll use you if they have to, but they''re not going to hesitate to bring you down if they think you''ve become a threat."

    Sero shot a glance at Amaya, who dropped her gaze. He knew that what Dante said was true. Amaya was part of the Ascendants Association, and he''d seen her in action. She was strong, but she wasn''t invincible. She had her limits, and he couldn''t expect her to protect him forever.

    "Just keep that in mind," Dante finished before walking back to take his seat. Kit and Enzo''s pressures settled down, but everyone could tell they felt angered at Dante''s provocation. Gregor leaned forward, his hands clasped on the desk.

    "I take it that you are willing to go to war with us if, for some god-forsaken reason, that should ever happen?" the Conqueror quietly asked, a slight edge in his tone. Everyone, including Dante, stiffened.

    Dante met Gregor''s steely gaze without flinching. "I''m not one to back down from a fight, even if I don''t want it," he replied coolly. "But I''d rather avoid one if I could. Let''s just hope it doesn''t come to that."

 Chapter 71: Playing Nice

    "You''re not the only one who can make that claim, Dante," Gregor replied coldly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Your actions have consequences, and you should be aware that we are not without our allies." The Conqueror''s eyes flickered briefly to Sero before returning to Dante. "Let''s hope that we can find a way to work together, despite our differences."

    Dante nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "I understand your point. Let''s hope that we can find common ground and work together. For now, there are more pressing matters to discuss. Since we''ve established the truth regarding the origins of monster outbreaks and the rise of Catastrophes, where should we begin to prepare?"

    "I think we should start by gathering more information," Amaya suggested. "We need to know what caused this change, and whether there are any other factors that we should be aware of. It''s possible that there are other forces at work behind the scenes."

    "What we do know is that Culling is one of the driving forces behind all of this happening," Gregor continued, seemingly relieved to move on. "And while we aren''t getting any closer to the truth of who or what is behind it, we can at least focus on finding a way to stop them from continuing."

    "We should also consider the possibility that this is not the work of a single entity," Dante added, leaning back in his chair. "It could be a coordinated effort by multiple parties with conflicting goals. In that case, we need to be prepared for a much more complex situation."

    "Should we call upon the other S-rank elites?" Ione asked. "They might have some insights or information that could help us."

    "They''re spread out all around the world," Kit made a face. "I don''t even know where our guildmaster is."

    "It might be best to start with those closest to us," Gregor suggested. "We can always send word to the others if needed. For now, we should focus on what we can do here." The Conqueror gestured to his Janitors. "I can call upon the remaining three in my branch to help us."

    "The Pentagram will start to inform the other guilds as well," Dante added. "They might not be able to send their entire guild force, but they could offer some support."

    J''takk held up her hand. "Hold on. There were two separate incidents at Kassel''s ceremony, yeah? Anyone figure out why exactly?"

    "I have some theories," Dante replied. "The first attack, where the hospital was, could have been a distraction to draw our attention away from the second one. It''s possible that Culling wanted us to focus on the initial confrontation while they were busy with their real target."

    "At Sero''s ceremony?" Meredith rumbled. "Who or what was their target there, if not to invoke the so-called Catastrophe candidate?"

    "We don''t know for sure," Enzo said, frowning. "But it explains why Culling didn''t push for the hospital that strongly. We cleared out the area pretty easily, only to find the main event at the stadium entrance."

    "There was also a restrictive barrier placed at the scene," Gregor recalled. "It wasn''t created by the Catastrophe candidate, nor did I ever find the suspect behind it, but it was designed to prevent any further intrusion. It seems that Culling wanted to contain the incident as much as possible."

    "So, to sum it up, Culling enacted two different instances, one with the goal of leading away as many strong individuals as possible," Kaizo rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Assuming that they were the ones who casted the barrier to prevent anyone from interfering, it would seem as though they wanted to artificially help the Catastrophe candidate evolve into a real one, correct?"

    Everyone nodded and murmured their agreement.

    "Let''s say that that was their original goal from the start. It doesn''t make much sense. First, why would they launch two separate attacks so near each other? Wouldn''t it make sense for them to create two incidents miles apart from each other? And the second thing is, why would they do this knowing such an important event was being held, guaranteed to be heavily monitored by armed forces and powerful groups?"

    Dante leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. "Maybe they weren''t entirely in control of the situation from the start. Maybe they underestimated the forces that would be arrayed against them, or maybe they were counting on us to fail in our efforts to contain the incidents. Either way, it seems that their plans have gone wrong, and now we''re left dealing with the consequences."

    Kaizo shook his head. "From what we know about them, they''re meticulous in everything they do. What seems like a failure to us may seem like a success to them. So let''s assume they purposefully planned for things to go the way they did. Enzo stated that the hospital attack was subjugated too easily. Why attack there at all if Culling never truly planned for anything to happen?"

    "The patients," Amaya suddenly whispered, her face paling. "Casey, a boy we know, had a grandmother pass away right before Culling took over the hospital. He also said that multiple patients all suddenly passed away as well."

    "What are you saying?" Gregor asked.

    "You don''t mean... that Culling never planned to attack the hospital in the first place?" Kit slowly began. "Then... why would they be there?"

    "Offerings," Sero''s blood ran cold as he recalled the shriveled up bodies of the citizens at the front of the stadium entrance. "They didn''t attack the hospital, they were there to harvest the sick and the dying. They didn''t care about the survivors, they just wanted the bodies. They intended to sacrifice them all along. Malice, the Catastrophe candidate, said something similar."

    "Wait, you think they were trying to sacrifice people to help Malice evolve?" Dante asked, clearly taken aback by the revelation. "But it doesn''t make sense, since they would''ve been near the stadium instead of the hospital."

    "Or maybe they never really planned on helping Malice evolve at all," Kaizo murmured quietly. "I hope that I''m wrong, but there''s a possibility that Sero''s right about them only needing to harvest bodies. That would explain why their siege on the hospital was so lackluster, and why the incident with Malice was so abrupt. They may be toying with us, trying to cause as much confusion as possible before we realize their true intentions."Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "Then what?" Dante asked, frowning. "What do we do now?"

    "We wait," the Archivist took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "We have no way of tracking them down, nor clues to what their next move will be. All we know is that they are harvesting the weak, so the best course of action is to station security to watch every hospital in the 25th Zone. That goes for the rest of the other 34 Zones as well."

    "But won''t that just spread our resources too thin?" Kit asked.

    "It''s a risk we have to take," Kaizo answered, his voice firm. "We can''t afford to let another outbreak that bad occur again. As for the hospitals in the other Zones, we''ll have to rely on their local security forces and guilds to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. We can''t possibly monitor them all ourselves."

    "I agree with Kaizo," Dante leaned forward, gazing at everyone. "The Pentagram will monitor the hospitals within their respective Zones. In the meantime, we''ll need to keep a close eye on any information that comes in. We don''t know their next move, but we can''t afford to be caught off guard again. Gregor, you and your Janitors will be in charge of the security forces. Kit, you''ll be working with communications to ensure that everyone is up to date on the latest developments. Amaya, continue to keep the association in the loop."

    As they divided up the tasks, Sero couldn''t shake the feeling that they were missing something. There had to be more to Culling''s actions than just harvesting bodies.

    "We''ll meet again if anything happens, but for now, keep watch. And Sero," Dante gazed at him coolly. "Don''t forget what I said."

    The group broke up, each going their separate ways. Sero couldn''t help but feel a weight on his shoulders as he walked out of the association conference room. He knew that Dante trusted him for now, but the feeling of being watched was unsettling.

    Gregor and the Janitors said their goodbyes before they departed first, leaving Kit, Sero, and Amaya alone.

    "Need me to teleport you back?" Kit purred to Sero.

    "No, thanks," Sero shook his head. "I can teleport myself."

    The Paradox pouted, giving him a sad look. "I knew I shouldn''t have shown you my Cat Paradox skill."

    "It''s not that," Sero assured her. "I just... need to be alone right now. To think."

    Kit pouted again, but nodded. "Okay, well... be careful. And if you need anything, just let me know." She left, heading into an empty room that Sero assumed would give her privacy to teleport.

    He suddenly became aware of Amaya awkwardly shifting beside him. "You... you okay, Sero?" she asked softly.

    He took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, I''m fine. Just... thinking about everything that''s happened."

    Amaya gave him a sympathetic look. "I understand. It''s been a lot to take in, hasn''t it?" She paused, biting her lip. "I hope you don''t mind me asking, but... what do you think Culling''s real goal is?"

    Sero considered her question. "I don''t know," he admitted. "Harvesting bodies doesn''t seem like it would be enough to explain their actions."

    Amaya nodded in agreement. "It''s like they''re... collecting something. And they''re doing it in a very specific way. They only seem to target those who are close to dying, or who have been infected with an illness."

    Sero froze. "Wait, what was that last part you said?"

    "They only seem to target those who are close to dying, or who have been infected with an illness?" Amaya repeated. "Like they''re... getting something from them specifically?"

    Sero''s heart began to pound in his chest, and his mind raced with possibilities. "It couldn''t be... could it...?"

    "What?" Amaya asked, her curiosity piqued.

    "I''m not sure yet," Sero shook his head. "I''ll need to check it out to confirm if I''m right, but I hope I¡¯m  not."

    "Oh, ok." The Spellblade hesitated for a moment. "I know you said you were going to teleport back, but would you rather I give you a ride instead?"

    Sero looked at her gratefully. "That would be great, actually. I could use the rest." He followed her into the hallway. "Thanks, Amaya."

    They made their way through the bustling halls of the association, the sounds of people talking and footsteps echoing around them. Sero''s mind raced with the possibilities, trying to piece together the fragments of information they had. There was something he had to check, but he decided to do that tomorrow.

    As they approached the exit, Amaya glanced at him worriedly. "You''re really thinking hard about this, aren''t you?"

    "Yeah," Sero admitted, his brow furrowed. "There''s a nagging feeling that the stuff I''m thinking about are all related, but I don''t know how or why."

    They exited the building and stepped out into the cool night air. The city around them was bustling with activity, neon signs casting a harsh glow on the pavement. The pair reached Amaya''s sports car and got in, falling silent as they began to drive back to Sero''s penthouse.

    "So," Amaya began, breaking the silence as she turned onto a busy boulevard, "what was it that you needed to check?"

    "Oh, just somewhere tomorrow," Sero replied vaguely.

    Amaya glanced over at Sero, noting the tension in his shoulders. "Hey, you can trust me. I may not understand everything you''re going through, but I''ll listen if you need to talk."

    "Yeah, I know," Sero replied, turning to look out the window.

    "Is there something wrong?"

    "No, nothing wrong," Sero assured her, trying to keep his tone light. "It''s just... I''m not sure if it''s anything important. Probably just a wild goose chase, really."

    "That''s not what I meant. Is there something wrong with us?"

    Sero turned to look at Amaya, taken aback by the sudden shift in topic. Her expression was sincere, and there was a hint of vulnerability in her eyes. He hesitated for a moment, unsure how to respond. "No, there''s nothing wrong with us," he finally said. "Sorry, I didn''t mean for you to feel like there was."

    "It feels like you''ve started distancing yourself."

    "Me? If anything, I was thinking you were the one doing that."

    Amaya frowned. "What do you mean?"

    "You''ve been avoiding eye contact, haven''t texted me at all, and generally just didn''t interact with me unless it was necessary." Sero said, his voice softening. "It''s not that I''m upset or anything, it''s just... I don''t know. I thought we were still friends."

    They drove in silence for a few moments before Amaya spoke up. "I''m sorry. I''ve just been busy with work and other things." She glanced over at Sero, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I didn''t mean to make you feel like I was pulling away."

    Sero shrugged, trying to play it cool. "It''s alright. I understand." But he didn''t sound convinced, even to himself.

    Amaya sighed, wishing she could find the words to explain herself better. "I just... I''ve never been in a real relationship before, either."

    They pulled up to the entrance of Sero''s building, and Amaya turned off the engine. She glanced over at Sero, her expression softening. "I''m not trying to push you away, Sero. I just... I don''t want to mess things up between us."

    "It''s fine," Sero sighed, unbuckling his seat belt. "I know you''re not. I just... I don''t know. I guess almost dying again really made me view things a lot differently."

    He climbed out of the car, his movements stiff and awkward. "I''ll talk to you later, okay?" He closed the car door and made his way up to his penthouse, his mind racing with all the things he needed to do.

 Chapter 72: Finding Comfort

    As he entered his penthouse, Sero found Luna sitting on the couch alone, watching tv with a pack of beers and food in front of her. Dressed in tight fitting shorts and a loose white shirt, she glanced up at him as he shut the door behind him. "Hey, Sero. You want something to eat?" she offered, gesturing to the food.

    "That''d be great thanks," Sero replied, nodding at the burgers and fries. "Where''s Casey?"

    "He''s sleeping in the spare room with Nala," Luna replied, handing him a plate of food. "Poor kid''s been having nightmares since he was rescued from the hospital, so Nala and I have been keeping him safe. She hopes you don''t mind her crashing here for a couple of days."

    Sero nodded, thinking about Casey. He knew that the other boy was having a hard time adjusting to life after his ordeal. He felt a pang of guilt himself, knowing that he''d been distracted by his own thoughts and feelings. "No, of course not. I''m just glad they''re both safe here."

    He sat down on the couch next to Luna, digging into the food. "But, how are you holding up? You know, after the whole Malice thing."

    The succubus shivered, giving Sero a fearful look. "Honestly? If it weren''t for the fact that I''m a creature that can regulate their own emotions, I think I''d be losing my shit. I mean, seeing the Succubus goddess appear right in front of me, not to mention ripping your guts out?"

    She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "But yeah, it''s been... intense. I''ve been trying to keep myself busy, but it''s hard not to think about it. Thankfully, Casey and Nala have been helping to keep my mind off things." Luna gave him a look. "If anything, I think I should ask how you''re doing. You''re the one who almost died, yet you seem mentally and emotionally stable, to a certain degree."

    Sero looked at Luna, considering her words. "Well, I guess... after everything that''s happened, I just feel like I have a lot to live for now. I mean, I have Casey, and you and Nala. And... there''s someone else too." His cheeks flushed slightly as he thought of Amaya.

    "Amaya, right?" The succubus gave him a wry smile. "I can see your emotions, and they are making it quite clear."

    Sero felt his face heat up even more. "Oh... um... yeah. Amaya." He took a bite of his food, changing the subject. "But seriously, I''m doing alright. I think... I think I''m just glad to be alive. And I want to make the most of it."

    Luna narrowed her eyes, her orange pupils glinting in the dimness of the room. "Sometimes I think your Rationality passive makes you less human than me."

    Sero raised an eyebrow at her words. "Well, I appreciate the sentiment, but I think I''m still pretty human."

    Luna shrugged as she leaned back, popping open another can of beer. "Whatever you say."

    They ate in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. The television droned on in the background, news stations airing footage of the aftermath of the battle at the hospital and the stadium. The images were grim, with wrecked buildings, smoldering debris, and medical personnel frantically attending to the wounded. The camera cut away to a press conference with the Ascendants Association officials, who assured the public that the situation was under control and that the zone''s Ascendants would continue to protect them.

    Sero glanced at Luna, who seemed lost in her own thoughts. Then, she burped loudly, letting him know that she was just drunk. Shaking his head, Sero set his plate down and went to wash up.

    "You taking my bedroom again?" he asked Luna as he got up.

    "Oh, yeah, sorry. You know, since I''m the one with the boobs, I get to be picky." The succubus winked at him, her tone light and teasing as her succubi nature began to reveal itself. Sero snorted, rolling his eyes.

    "Just clean up out here when you''re done. I don''t want to be sleeping next to a mess."

    Luna gave him a salute before switching the channel to an action flick.

    <hr>

    Sero laid on the couch once again, listening to the sound of Luna''s snoring from his bedroom. He couldn''t help but chuckle softly at the way she slept. In the dim light of the living room, he could make out the shapes of furniture. The penthouse seemed so still and quiet, almost peaceful. It was a strange contrast to the chaos that had unfolded just the day before.

    Even though he was alone in the living room, compared to the association infirmary, Sero didn''t feel that lonely knowing that Casey and Nala were in the spare room, and Luna was in his bedroom. He snapped his fingers softly, conjuring his dragon pups.

    "Hey, guys," he whispered, scratching their heads as they nuzzled into him. The two little dragons looked up at him with their big, round eyes, their expressions full of love and loyalty. Sero noted that every time he summoned them, it took less and less mana, not to mention how easy it was to keep them out now.

    "You two are really growing up fast, huh?" He stroked their heads gently, feeling the soft fur under his fingers. They made contented noises, leaning into his touch. Sero wondered how Moss and Lime came to be, if they were born just like how Sting had been.

    At the thought of the Cardian Joker, Sero quietly conjured a playing card, throwing it and watching it pop to summon Sting.

    "Yes, Master?" Sting bowed her head.

    Sero smiled softly at the Joker. "Just wondering, Sting. How did you and your kind come to be? I mean, you were all summoned by different people, right, or at least, Ascendants in the Courtmancer class?"

    Sting''s expression turned thoughtful. "That is a rather complicated question, Master. As far as we know, the Cardian race has always existed. I do not know exactly how it came to be that my kind became subservient to Ascendants, but I do know that only a select few including you are able to conjure us."

    She paused for a moment, her emerald eyes narrowing as she considered the question further. "There are legends among our kind that claim we were once summoned by powerful individuals long ago, but those stories are mostly folklore. The truth is, even we do not know our true origins."If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Sero leaned back against the couch, thinking about what Sting had said. It was interesting to think that there might be more to the Cardians than what was known. "Do you ever wish you knew more about your people? About where you came from?"

    The Joker shook her head, the triple bells on her hat jingling softly. "Perhaps it is better not to know, Master. If our existence is tied to the whims of mortals, then maybe ignorance is bliss. We have been given a purpose, and we have been cared for by our Ascendants. We should be content with that."

    Sero listened to her words, considering their weight. If Sting''s kind, or at least those that were bonded to Ascendants like him and Anya, weren''t hostile, then there might be a possibility of an outbreak where monsters desired no harm. Hell, Luna was living proof that non-humans could be just as good if not better than their human counterparts.

    He glanced down at the little dragons who were now sleeping on his stomach. "Sorry, Sting. I''ve been learning a lot about the truths in the world, and I''m just trying to make sense of it all."

    Sting''s expression softened, her emerald eyes glowing with understanding. "I understand, Master. It can be difficult to accept that not everything in this world has a clear purpose or explanation. But perhaps it is enough to know that you are content with the life you have chosen, and that you have found companionship in those who are different from yourself."

    "I guess. Thanks, Sting."

    Sero smiled softly as he watched the Joker. He had a feeling that, in her own way, Sting was giving him more advice than he realized. It was comforting to know that he wasn''t alone, that he had friends who understood him, even if they weren''t human. He glanced down at his phone, seeing that it was getting late.

    "I''m going to get some rest for tomorrow now," Sero murmured, rousing the sleeping dragons. They blinked blearily at him before uncurling their tiny bodies and stretching. Lime yawned, then settled down on his chest again, using her wings as a makeshift pillow. Moss plopped on his legs, purring as she closed her eyes.

    "Understood. Rest well, Master."

    <hr>

    Sero woke up shouting the next morning as the dragon pups used his body to launch off, chirping and bounding over to Casey and Nala as they came out from the spare room.

    "Mr. Sero, you''re back!" Casey exclaimed as he tried to fight off Moss and Lime.

    "I''m back," Sero agreed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he sat up. "How''s everything been?"

    He glanced around the living room, noting that Luna was already up and about, digging through the fridge. Nala came up to him, tilting her head curiously.

    "We''ve been doing all right so far," the Shadereaper said quietly, a hint of concern creeping in her eyes. "But, what about you?"

    Sero nodded. "I''m pretty much healed already."

    He stood up, stretching his limbs. The pain in his stomach had already faded, leaving only a dull ache. Moss bounded over to him, panting excitedly as Lime continued to harass Casey.

    "I''m going to go out for a bit," Sero said, walking to the bathroom in his bedroom. "I need to get some fresh air and stretch my legs. But don''t worry about me. I''ll be back before you know it." He paused, looking at Nala and Luna. "You two have fun with whatever you''re planning, alright?"

    Nala nodded, her expression neutral. Luna glanced up from the fridge. "On the way back, could you grab a case of beer?"

    "Sure, I- How much alcohol have you been drinking?" Sero couldn''t help but ask, raising an eyebrow.

    Luna looked at him with a bland expression. "Succubus biology is different from a human''s."

    Sero rolled his eyes. "Fine. Whatever. I''ll be back in a bit."

    <hr>

    After he left his penthouse, Sero briefly emulated Lawbreak, casting Cat Paradox and imagining himself near the hospital. His world shifted and blurred, and he suddenly found himself at the site where the Culling members had enacted their attack.

    Sero gritted his teeth at the sight of officials patrolling the ruined area, with roadblocks and caution tapes preventing anyone other than hospital staff and patients from entering as construction workers swarmed the site. He spotted Cassandra in her Janitor''s business wear, dreamily doing what Sero assumed was keeping watch over everything.

    "Hey, Cassandra," Sero greeted as he approached her. "Am I allowed to go into the hospital?"

    The Glass Queen glanced over her shoulder, her unfocused eyes glittering at the sight of him. "Of course, cutie. Just make sure you don''t cause any trouble."

    "I... won''t, thanks..." Sero murmured, feeling his ears burn. He walked past the barriers, ignoring the stares of the police officers, and made his way into the hospital. The smell of antiseptic and despair hung heavy in the air as he reached the front desk.

    "Um, I''m looking for Dr. Malek," Sero said to the receptionist, trying not to stare at her name tag. "I''m here to see him about something important."

    "Dr. Malek?" the receptionist repeated, frowning. "I''m... I''m sorry, but Dr. Malek went missing during the attack." Her shoulders dropped solemnly. "It''s believed that he was either captured or..." Her voice trailed off.

    Sero felt a cold weight settle in his stomach. "I... see."

    He thanked the receptionist, then slowly made his way back outside. A feeling of helplessness and despair crashed over him as the one person Sero thought could help piece together his thoughts was gone.

    The hunch he had was that Culling targeted patients infected with the Outbreak Plague or had mana-enhanced organs, but the only way he could verify that was if Dr. Malek could look through the list of the deceased and see if they had that in common.

    He didn''t know what to do now. With the doctor missing, he couldn''t even get confirmation of the suspicion. The whole city was in shambles, with everyone on edge and fearful of what might happen next.

    "Hey, where are you going?"

    Cassandra''s voice jolted him out of his thoughts. Sero turned around, finding another woman standing next to her. Behind them, Max had apparently arrived on the scene to relieve the Glass Queen, though he seemed extremely irritated about it.

    "I''m sorry," Cassandra said, her voice distant. "I didn''t mean to interrupt. I just thought... you might want some company. You look like you could use it."

    "Oh, I was just... well, now that you mention it, I haven''t eaten breakfast yet," Sero glanced at the time on his phone. "Or rather, lunch."

    The woman beside Cassandra, who seemed to have her own ethereal aura about her, gave a small smile. "You look like you''ve been through a lot. I''m Gwyndolyn, by the way."

    Gwndolyn was also in the standard outfit of the Janitors, but with fitted slacks and a blazer over a white blouse that looked like it cost more than Sero''s entire wardrobe. She had short, blonde hair with neatly trimmed bangs. Her eyes were the color of mahogany, a pleasing compliment to her tanned-skin. But the trait that Sero found most striking about her was her soothing voice, a rich alto that seemed to ease his tension with every word.

    "Are you... I mean, you''re a Janitor, too?" Sero stammered, feeling even more self-conscious about his own attire. "I didn''t know there were other women in the group. I''m Sero."

    "Have you seen Cass? If anything, I''m more fitted to be in the Janitors than she is," Gwyndolyn laughed, motioning to Cassandra with a tilt of her head. "I mean, she''s more of a..." She trailed off, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Anyway, I''m here temporarily to help in whatever way I can. It''s not every day that a city gets attacked like this, you know?"

    "Temporarily?" Sero asked.

    "Ah, have you never heard of Gwyn before?" Cassandra asked dreamily. "She''s an S-rank Serenade class. Gwyndolyn Sonora, the popstar."

    "Oh, shut up," Gwndolyn laughed, rolling her eyes. "I was just doing some charity work here. But it''s nice to meet you, Sero. Now, what was it you were saying about breakfast?"

 Chapter 73: In the Presence of Idols and Goddesses

    That''s how Sero ended up having a late breakfast with two beautiful women in a lavish restaurant. The food was exquisite, but he couldn''t really focus on the meal as he tried his best not to gawk at them. Cassandra and Gwyndolyn seemed to sense this but didn''t mind, much like how Kit had been when Sero first met her. In fact, it seemed like they were enjoying teasing him, which made the whole situation even more surreal.

    "Isn''t he adorable?" Cassandra asked Gwyndolyn breathily. "He''s so bashful."

    "Yeah, when you told me about him, I was surprised that a man like that caught your attention," Gwyndolyn replied with a smile, giving Sero a curious look. "And you said he''s single?"

    "For now," the Glass Queen replied before Sero could speak. "It seems as though Kit has her eyes on him already."

    "N-no, she''s more of a sister to me," Sero stammered, blushing. He picked at the avocado and salmon toast in front of him. "I mean, we''re friends, but that''s it."

    The Serenade leaned forward, raising an eyebrow as she studied him. "Is that so?"

    "Uh, yeah," Sero avoided Gwyndolyn''s gaze. "There''s no one else." He paused, feeling a bit uncomfortable. "I''m not really looking for anything serious right now. I mean, with everything that''s going on..."

    "Oh, right. Cass told me about your encounter with something called a Catastrophe candidate," Gwyndolyn nodded sympathetically. "You doing all right?"

    "Yeah," Sero instinctively clutched at his abdomen. "It was just a near-death experience, but I''m still here."

    Gwyndolyn chuckled. "That''s the spirit. You know, you should talk to someone about it if you ever need to. It''s not healthy to keep it all bottled up. Take it from me. An S-rank who''s also a musical artist who''s also in the Janitors."

    "You know what Sero should do?" Cassandra asked with an unfocused smile. "He should come with us to the party tonight. It''s going to be a blast. Gwyn''s invited us, and I''m sure you''d have a great time."

    Sero blinked in surprise. "What kind of party? You guys are having a party right after the city got attacked?"

    "Well, it''s not like we can party all the time," Cassandra shrugged nonchalantly. "And honestly, it''s a good way to blow off some steam. And you''d be surprised how much people like to party after something like this."

    Sero hesitated for a moment, feeling torn. On one hand, the thought of letting loose and having fun did sound appealing. On the other, he was still reeling from the attack and the near-death experience. "I don''t know... I''m not really in the mood for partying right now."

    "Hey, don''t sweat it," the Serenade reassured, bumping Cassandra pointedly. "Invitation''s there if you want to take it."

    "But you should really come," Cassandra insisted dreamily, unbothered by Gwyndolyn''s nudging. "Have you got anything to do tonight?"

    "I''m- No, not really," Sero admitted with a sigh. "I guess I could use some distraction." He took a deep breath and looked between the two women. "Okay, I''ll come. Thanks for the invitation."

    "Delightful!" Cassandra smiled, clapping her hands together. "We''ll see you there, then. The party starts at eight, so be sure to show up early." She leaned back in her chair, seeming to be lost in thought for a moment before turning to Gwyndolyn. "Hey, Gwyn? Since Sero''s coming, I bet he''d be interested in hearing about the new songs you''ve been working on. Why don''t you play him one later, huh?"

    "Well, the party is for the release of my upcoming album,''" Gwyndolyn explained with a soft smile. "I''ve been working on it for a while now, and I think it''s my best work yet. It''s got a mix of ballads and upbeat dance tracks. Something for everyone." She paused, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I''d be more than happy to play Sero one of the songs once we get to the party."

    As the rest of brunch passed in idle chatter, Sero found himself looking forward to the party. Despite his reservations, the thought of spending time with Cassandra and Gwyndolyn was oddly comforting. Maybe this would help him forget about his troubles for the moment.

    <hr>

    After finishing up, Sero took his leave, exchanging contact numbers with the two of them before heading back to his penthouse. Along the way, he stopped by to pick up some cases of beer for Luna, using his Cat Paradox to teleport in front of his door.

    Almost as if she sensed him, which she probably did, the door was yanked open, revealing the succubus who promptly grabbed the cases from him and scuttled to the fridge without a word. Casey bounded up to Sero, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

    "Do you have anything to do today, Mr. Sero?" Casey asked, a hopeful glint in his eye. "Because I was thinking that maybe we could continue where we left off from, and keep training?"

    "Ah, sure, we can," Sero couldn''t help but smile. "I could use a good workout. But, let''s not do it in my apartment, please." He walked in, noticing that Nala was intently focused on the tv, a game controller in her hands as she sucked on a lollipop.

    "Um, where did you get that?" Sero stared at the Shadereaper, who paused her game and gave him a blank expression.

    "The candy? Luna got some delivered. Do you want some?"

    "No, the gaming system- How much has Luna ordered through my deal with the association?"

    "Oh, this one?" Nala held up the controller. "It''s a rental. The association was like, ''You should totally get this!''" She shrugged, taking a bite out of her lollipop. "It''s got this game called ''Dying to Level Up!'' that I''ve been meaning to try for a while. You want to play?"Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Sero shook his head. "I''m going to train Casey for a while." He hesitated, thinking for a moment. "I can''t really take him to the Ascendants Association training rooms since he''s not old enough yet. Do you have any other places in mind?"

    "Your Sponsor''s personal space?" Nala replied absentmindedly, returning to her game.

    "I would, but it''s kinda small. Actually, it''s pretty much a bedroom," Sero made a face. "I''d ask Amaya or Enzo, but they''re busy with stuff right now."

    Nala paused her game, setting down the controller as she slightly raised an eyebrow at him. "Want to use my Sponsor''s personal space?"

    Sero blinked, taken aback for a moment. "You mean it? Who''s your Sponsor?"

    "Nyx," Nala replied casually.

    "The goddess of the night?" Sero tried recalling what little he knew of Greek mythology.

    "Yep."

    Sero glanced at Casey, the young boy''s eyes bright with hope. He wondered if this training was just a way for him to cope with his grandmother''s death on top of everything that had happened. "Yeah, if you wouldn''t mind staying with us for an hour or two, that''d be great, Nala."

    "Sure. I didn''t have anything planned today. After that S-rank outbreak, mercenary branches are scrambling to gobble up any job they can, so there''s nothing for me to do," the Shadereaper shrugged. "It''s a little messed up, but people are willing to make money no matter what."

    "Oh, ok, then," Sero glanced over at Luna in the kitchen, who was already three cans deep into the case. "Hey Luna, we''ll be back in an hour or two."

    The succubus burped and gave him a salute, pulling out a tablet from one of the drawers and tapping out what Sero assumed was a food order. He stared at her for a moment, wondering where Luna got the tablet from.

    "Ready?" Nala asked, her violet eyes glowing with mana. Sero and Casey nodded, the latter barely able to contain his excitement. A purple aura washed over the three of them, and Sero''s world blurred for a moment as he felt a tugging sensation on his body.

    <hr>

    As the world came back into focus, the three of them found themselves in Nyx''s personal space. It was a dimly lit forest, with trees covered in glowing moss that illuminated the paths between them. A small, cozy cabin stood in the distance, its windows glowing warmly. Above, the night sky was filled with stars, and the moon cast a soft, silver light over everything. The air smelled of pine and earth, and the sounds of crickets and owls filled the air.

    "Whoa," Casey breathed, his eyes wide with wonder. "This is so cool!" He looked up at Sero, then at Nala, waiting for them to say something.

    "It is kinda cool," Sero admitted. "Then again, I''ve only been in three other personal spaces."

    "The cabin is where Nyx''s Ascendants usually go to talk with the goddess," Nala explained, leading the way toward the building. "I can come here anytime I want and just...talk to her. Or, you know, meditate or whatever." She shrugged. "She''s pretty cool, for a goddess."

    "So... she''s here right now?" Sero asked, feeling both nervous and eager.

    "There''s a good chance she is," Nala replied emotionlessly. "While she is a major goddess, she tends to be hands-on with her Ascendants." She paused for a moment, then shrugged again. "But you don''t have to worry about that. Just focus on your training."

    "Are we meeting her out of respect for using her personal space?" Sero asked again, noting a stark contrast compared to Amaya''s and Enzo''s respective Sponsors.

    "Something like that," Nala made a rare face. "You''ll see in a bit."

    They approached the cabin, its front door open to reveal a cozy interior lit by candles. A small fire crackled in the fireplace, casting flickering shadows on the walls. A soft, plush carpet covered the floor, and a few comfortable-looking chairs and a couch were arranged around a low table. A bookshelf was crammed full of leather-bound books, and various trinkets and ornaments decorated the walls and surfaces.

    Sitting near the kitchen area was a woman with long, flowing black hair that shimmered with silver specks of light. She was dressed in a simple, flowing white gown that seemed to glow with a soft inner light. Her face was serene and beautiful, her eyes the color of the stars above. As the three of them entered, she glanced up from the book she''d been reading and smiled warmly at them. "Ah, my champion," Nyx nodded to Nala, her voice like a warm and gentle breeze. "And who are these two?"

    "This is Sero," Nala introduced him. "He''s a good friend of mine and this boy is Casey. He''s just starting out on his path as a Mage."

    "Nice to meet you," Sero bowed his head before blurting out, "You''re very beautiful."

    Nyx chuckled softly, unbothered by his boldness. "Thank you. I take it you''re here to train with my champion?" She glanced at the Shadereaper, who nodded.

    "Yes," Casey piped up, excitement clearly evident in his voice. "I want to be just like Mr. Sero and Miss Nala, only better!"

    "And you''ve come to the right place," Nyx assured him, her smile growing wider. "My champion is an excellent mentor, and with her guidance and your own determination, I have no doubt that you will achieve great things. But first, I want you to understand the importance of balance. Magic is a powerful tool, and as such, it can be dangerous if not used responsibly."

    She gestured for them to sit down on the plush carpet in front of the fireplace. Nala took a seat as well, while Casey perched on the edge of a chair, eager to listen. "Magic is a part of the natural order of our world," Nyx began, her voice soft and hypnotic. "It flows through everything, binding us all together in ways we can''t even begin to comprehend. When we tap into that power, when we harness it for our own purposes, we become something more than we were before."

    Sero''s eyes began to glaze over as the goddess continued her explanation of mana and magic, something he understood already. He knew that it was rude to zone out, especially if a goddess was lecturing them, but at least Nyx was pleasing to look at.

    Casey, on the other hand, hung on Nyx''s every word, his eyes shining with excitement and determination. Finally, Sero jerked back to attention as the goddess stood up, finished with her lecture.

    "So, hopefully you''ve learned a little bit about magic and mana. I''ll leave you three to your training," Nyx said, her expression turning serious for a moment. "But remember, Casey: magic can consume you if you aren''t careful. Use your abilities wisely, and always strive for balance. Now, if you''ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to." She rose gracefully to her feet and glided over to the bookshelf, running her fingers along the spines. "Do feel free to come to me if you ever have any questions or concerns."

    "Thank you," Nala bowed her head, Casey following suit.

    "My pleasure, champion. Good luck."

    As they exited the cabin, Nala glanced at Sero and Casey with a slightly wry look. "Nyx is a bit... mother-like. She usually has her Ascendants come greet her first before doing anything here, like we''re her children."

    "You don''t mind, do you?" Casey asked, looking concerned.

    The Shadereaper shook her head, a soft smile playing on her lips. "It''s comforting, since I lost my own mother when I was around your age."

    Sero felt a pang of sympathy for Nala at her words. Although she still had Gregor, Sero had almost forgotten that she, like him and Amaya, lost a mother. It was a difficult thing to go through, and it was good that Nyx could be a source of comfort for her.

    The trio reached an open clearing in the forest, the moonlight streaming through the trees overhead. Sero remembered how bright Ma''at''s personal space was, shivering at the memories of his training there.

    "This place should be good enough, right?" Nala asked the two, who nodded in agreement.

    "All right, Casey," Sero turned to the boy. "Let''s see what you can really do."

 Chapter 74: Tutoring Doesnâ€™t Seem That Hard

    As it turns out, unhindered by space, Casey was actually able to cast skills much more powerful than Sero had expected. The boy''s voice cracked, but a bright flash of yellow light lit up the clearing, followed by a blast of cold air that sent leaves swirling through the air as he casted Ice Shard. Sero felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized just how powerful Casey''s magic was. He glanced over at Nala, who looked subtly pleased with the boy''s progress.

    "Very good, Casey," she said, her voice calm and encouraging. "You''ve made great strides since our last training session. Now, let''s work on controlling your magic a bit more. Remember, precision is key. Focus on making your spells more focused and controlled."

    "Last training session?" Sero glanced at Nala. "I thought the last one was in my penthouse."

    "Oh, we trained a bit more while you were recovering at the association infirmary," Nala replied. "At... your penthouse."

    "Wait, what? Did you guys break anything¨C"

    A thundering flash of yellow lightning crashed down, interrupting Sero as Casey casted Lightning Bolt. The air crackled with energy as another bolt of electricity shot forth from the boy''s outstretched hand, hitting a nearby tree with enough force to make it splinter. Even from several feet away, Sero felt the hairs on his arms stand on end from the power emanating off the spell. He couldn''t help but grin with admiration.

    "Damn, Casey," Sero remarked, impressed. "You really have been working on your control. That was pretty good." He glanced at Nala, who nodded in agreement, a visibly proud smile on her face.

    "All right, let''s try something a bit more advanced," Nala said, stepping forward. "Remember how you''ve been trying to cast Earth Spike efficiently?"

    Casey nodded, his expression determined. "I''ve been working on it," he replied, "but it''s still kinda hard to control. I''m scared of messing up this place."

    "It''s ok, we''re in a personal space now," Nala assured the boy. "Even if Sero himself were to unleash everything he had, it wouldn''t really do much, so go wild."

    Sero snorted. "Is that a challenge?" he muttered under his breath as he watched Casey cast Earth Spike.

    The boy closed his eyes and concentrated, his hands shaking with effort. Slowly, a small, jagged spike of earth began to form in front of his outstretched palm. It grew larger and larger, stretching upwards until it was several feet tall, its tip pointed at the sky. Casey opened his eyes, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. Sero''s body buzzed as he copied the skill.

    Earth Spike was a simple skill that literally conjured pillars of earth from the ground. They were stationary, but useful in tight situations, able to shift its height quickly according to the caster¡¯s will.

    "Very good," Nala said, her voice tinged with a hint of pride. "Now, let''s see if you can control it enough to use it defensively."

    "If I''m not the one training him, then what the hell am I here for?" Sero grumbled as he watched Nala throw exploding mana knives at Casey to test his defensive capabilities of Earth Spike. The boy skillfully dodged each knife, using his Earth Spikes to deflect them harmlessly away as they detonated with a violet light. Sero was surprised that a boy as young as Casey was able to handle the situation so well.

    "Mr. Sero, you should throw some knives, too!" Casey shouted to him, a slight arrogance creeping into his voice. "I bet I can defend from both you and Miss Nala!"

    "Are you sure?" Sero asked, but nevertheless threw mana knives at the boy. Immediately, Casey was unable to handle attacks coming from all sides, failing to block the explosion from one of the knives and getting launched backwards into a tree.

    The boy wheezed as the air was knocked from him, falling face-first onto the ground. Sero fought back a laugh as he quickly rushed to his side, casting Recovery. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nala struggling to stop a smile from blooming across her face, giving Sero a false look of disapproval.

    "Are you... okay, kid?" Sero had to bite his lip.

    "I''m fine, Mr. Sero," Casey grunted as he sat up, apparently unfazed.

    Nala walked over to them, her expression serious. "You did well for a beginner," she told him, "but you need to learn to keep your focus when things get hectic. Sero was just testing your limits."

    Casey nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah... I guess I did get a little confident there," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

    As they continued to practice, more carefully this time, Sero couldn''t help but feel a sense of pride in the boy''s progress. Even though Casey was still much younger and less experienced than he was, there was something about the boy''s determination and raw talent that reminded Sero of himself.

    Pretty soon, both Nala and Sero could tell Casey was growing exhausted, so they decided to wrap up training. The boy''s eyes were heavy with sleep, and his movements were becoming more sluggish. Even so, he still managed to surprise them with a particularly impressive display of Earth Spike control. As he spun around, his arms outstretched, a spike formed beneath each foot, allowing him to spin faster and faster, like a spinning top. The display was dizzying and awe-inspiring.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    "What do you... plan to do by doing that?" Sero called out to him.

    Casey''s face lit up with excitement. "I was thinking of using it to defend myself in the arena!" he exclaimed. "Like a spinning tornado of earth!"

    "But... you''re just spinning in place. There''s nothing around you to help you defend."

    "Oh," Casey''s voice sounded distorted as he kept spinning. "What if I could make the earth spin with me? Like a giant shield?"

    "Yeah, that''d be great!" Sero yelled back. "How ''bout you try it right now?"

    Casey closed his eyes, concentrating. The ground beneath him rumbled softly as the earth itself seemed to respond to his will. With each rotation, the movement became more pronounced, the earth rippling outwards like water in a pond. Soon, a miniature version of the tornado of earth formed around the boy, spinning at an incredible speed. It was clear that he had managed to control the earth itself, using it as a shield.

    With a jolt as his body buzzed with power, Sero realized that Casey had developed a new skill ''Ground Fortress''. By using the base concept of Earth Spike''s static positioning, Ground Fortress enabled the user to move the earth more freely using their will.

    "What the... did Casey just make a skill?"

    "Yeah, he did," Nala glanced at Sero curiously. "Did you not know that that''s how advanced classes of the Mage develop skills? Every Mage learns the basic elements and creates new skills from those. My Shadereaper skills are based off of the darkness element."

    "Wait, that''s broken."

    "As broken as you being able to copy any skill? You realize you¡¯ve already created new skills like that one Starfall Nuke, right? Not to mention you can copy passives too."

    "Oh yeah," Sero grinned sheepishly. "Good point."

    Casey abruptly stopped spinning, tumbling to the ground as he began to vomit from the prolonged skill usage. Sero looked at him with a mixture of concern and surprise. Casey was reminding him more and more of like when Sero first returned to Earth.

    <hr>

    In the late afternoon, the three of them were brought back to Sero''s penthouse, exhausted and hungry. They found Luna munching away on fried chicken as she greeted them with a burp.

    "Well, well, well," she said between bites. "Look who''s back. Did you have fun?"

    Casey nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. "It was intense, but yeah. I think I got better." He glanced over at Sero, a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. "Thanks for training me, Mr. Sero. And Miss Nala."

    Sero grinned at the boy. "No problem, Casey. You''ve got a lot of potential. Just keep working at it." He glanced back at the succubus. "I hope you ordered enough for all of us."

    "I... y-yeah I did," Luna stammered, her face flushing as she glanced between Sero and Nala. It was clear that she hadn''t been expecting them to come back so soon. "Um... there''s a lot of food here, so you guys can have as much as you want."

    Sero could tell Luna had expected to eat all of the food herself as he smirked and sat on the couches, watching the others gather around the table. He snapped his fingers, conjuring Moss and Lime to add to the lively atmosphere; the lighter dragon pup immediately made a beeline towards Casey and assaulted the boy.

    The tv played quietly in the background as the four ate and talked. Sero couldn''t help but feel a sense of contentment as he watched his friends and the young prodigy enjoy the meal.

    "Miss Luna, does beer really taste that good?" Casey asked, struggling to keep Lime at bay as the succubus popped open another can.

    "Yeah, wanna try it?" Luna smirked, offering the can to the boy.

    "Hey, whoa now," Nala said, reaching out to take the beer from the succubus. "You''re only ten, remember? You''re not even supposed to be drinking that stuff."

    "Aw, come on," Casey protested, trying to grasp at it while holding Lime away with his other hand. "I just want to know what it tastes like."

    "Sorry Casey, but Nala''s right," Sero chimed in, giving the boy a pat on the shoulder. "Drinking''s not something you should be getting into yet. You''ve still got a long way to go before you''re old enough to be enjoying things like that."

    "But I''m not a little kid anymore," Casey insisted. "I''m stronger and faster than most people. I can take care of myself. Why can''t I have a sip of beer?"

    "I just watched you throw up after spinning for too long, so I''m pretty sure you''re still a kid," Sero pointed out with a teasing grin. "And besides, there''s plenty of other stuff you can enjoy being a kid. Like, uh, going to the movies, or playing video games, or..." He trailed off, glancing at Nala for help.

    "Don''t look at me," the Shadereaper replied. "I didn''t have a lot of friends growing up."

    "Neither did I," Sero admitted with a shrug. "But that''s not the point. The point is that you should enjoy being a kid while you can. You''ll have plenty of time to grow up and do adult stuff later."

    "How do I learn how to do that? My parents aren''t around, and my grandmother is gone, too."

    The three adults fell silent, glancing at each other after hearing Casey''s words. Sero shifted uncomfortably before he spoke, "Well, you know, life''s not always easy, kid. But you''ve got friends now, and a place to stay. That''s the most important thing. Just focus on being happy and enjoying yourself." His heart ached, realizing that Casey was now in the same position as him.

    Luna cleared her throat, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, let''s not get too serious here. We''re supposed to be enjoying ourselves, right?" She winked at Casey. "Maybe we could take you to the movies sometime, if you''d like? Or how about a trip to the arcade?"

    "Okay!" Casey exclaimed, his expression lighting up. "I''d like that! Going to the movies and the arcade would be a blast." He paused, then looked at Sero with a serious expression. "Thanks, Mr. Sero. And thank you, Miss Luna, Miss Nala. I mean it. You guys are the best friends anyone could ever ask for."

    Sero lowered his gaze, feeling a pang of sympathy for the boy. "You''re welcome, Casey. We''re just glad to have you as part of our little family now." He paused, then added with a grin, "And you can call me Sero, you know. ''Mr. Sero'' makes me feel old."

    "Uh, okay, then," the boy hesitated for a moment. "Sero."

    Casey and Sero immediately cringed.

    "Yeah, that didn''t feel right," Sero said with a laugh. "So, Mr. Sero it is, then."

 Chapter 75: Field Trips

    As the evening approached, Sero excused himself from the group, informing them of his invite to Gwyndolyn''s party. Nala had expressed visible shock at the fact, asking if he could get her the Serenade''s autograph.

    "Is she really that famous?" Sero murmured to himself as he stepped out of his penthouse. His phone vibrated, seeing a text from Cassandra that the two women were waiting for him down in the lobby.

    He hopped into the elevator and went down, figuring that teleporting wouldn¡¯t work. The two women were sitting in the lounge area, sipping on champagne as a crowd of people gawked at them outside. Even the staff couldn''t help but sneak glances at them.

    Both Cassandra and Gwyndolyn had changed out of their Janitors'' uniform, now wearing elegant dresses that accentuated their figures. Cassandra''s dress was a simple yet sophisticated black number that hugged her curves, while Gwyndolyn''s dress was a vibrant red gown that flowed elegantly down to the floor. Their makeup was immaculate, and they both wore dazzling necklaces and earrings.

    "You guys look great," Sero blurted without thinking, suddenly self-conscious of his own attire.

    "Why, thank you," Gwyndolyn replied with a coy smile. "You don''t look too bad yourself."

    "But I''m wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and my bomber jacket," Sero protested with a sheepish grin. "You two make me feel underdressed."

    "It''s fine, cutie," Cassandra replied with a ditzy smile. "It''s a casual party for Gwyn''s upcoming album."

    "That''s right!" Gwyndolyn nodded. "We just want everyone to feel comfortable and have a good time. And I think you''ll fit right in."

    Before Sero could move, Gwyndolyn and Cassandra each took one of his arms in theirs, leading him out of the lounge and towards the limousine. As they made their way through the throng of people, Sero couldn''t help but feel like the center of attention. Everyone seemed to be watching them, whispering to each other and pointing at him. It was both exhilarating and unnerving at the same time.

    Sero couldn¡¯t focus very well as the two women sat on either side of him during the car ride, talking to each other as he tried to wrap his head around his situation. Ironically, this exact scenario was something he¡¯d always dream of, but now that it was actually happening, he didn¡¯t know how to deal with it.

    The party was held in a massive mansion on the outskirts of the city, with lush gardens and a sparkling pool. The music was thumping, and the air was thick with the scent of expensive liquor and delicious food. The guests were a mix of celebrities, industry insiders, and famous Ascendants that Sero didn''t know.

    "This is a casual party?" Sero muttered to himself, stepping out of the limousine.

    "Oh, it''s not too bad," Cassandra assured him with a blank smile, linking her arm through his. "You''ll have a great time, I promise."

    Gwyndolyn led them through the crowd, introducing Sero to various people as they went. Sero was careful not to drink too much of the champagne that was constantly being offered to him, but he couldn''t help but feel a bit giddy from the attention. Everyone seemed to know who he was, and they all wanted to talk to him, to get a picture with him, or to ask for an autograph. He couldn''t help but feel like a rock star himself. It seemed like Dante was wrong about people being afraid of him and the powers he possessed.

    Eventually, they made their way to the garden outside in the backyard, where a smaller group had gathered around an unlit fire pit. The atmosphere was more relaxed, and people were actually having conversations instead of just milling about. Sero found himself sitting down in between Gwyndolyn and Cassandra on one of the logs.

    "Everyone, this is Sero, the newly S-rank Scholar who won the Ascendants Tournament," the Serenade announced to the group, causing a brief ripple of excitement to spread through them.

    Sero blushed and waved awkwardly. "It''s nice to meet you all," he said, trying not to sound too shy.

    "They said he wasn''t that attractive..."

    "He looks so young!"

    "I thought he''d be bald."

    "He''s even cuter in person!"

    Sero couldn''t help but feel a bit overwhelmed by the attention. He tried to maintain his composure, but his cheeks flushed nonetheless. Gwyndolyn smiled at him encouragingly, leaning in to whisper in his ear, "You''re doing great, you know. Just be yourself."

    "Or, if you get too overwhelmed, you can always lean on me, cutie," Cassandra sighed dreamily as she rested her head on his shoulder.

    "Thank you," Sero said softly, smiling at her. He glanced around the garden, taking in the flickering lights and the stars above. The night was warm, and a light breeze rustled the leaves of the trees. The music from the house drifted out to them in waves, punctuated by the occasional laughter or shouted comment. In that moment, he briefly forgot about his worries and troubles, and he found himself relaxing into the comfortable ambient sounds between them.

    Slowly, the people around them excused themselves to go back into the mansion, and eventually Gwyndolyn had to go as well, dragging a reluctant Cassandra along with her. Sero sat alone, staring into the empty fire pit.

    "Hey, you''re that Scholar, right?" A soft voice broke him out of his thoughts.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Sero looked up to see a young woman with long and wavy dark violet hair sitting beside him. She was wearing a simple black dress that accentuated her curves, and her warm honey brown eyes sparkled in the moonlight. He nodded, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Yeah, that''s me."

    She smiled, dimples appearing briefly in her cheeks. "I''m Elizabeth. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Sero." She extended her hand, and he took it, shaking it firmly. Her grip was strong and confident, and her skin was smooth and cool to the touch. "I''ve been watching you all night, and I have to say, you handled yourself really well with all the attention."

    Sero felt himself blushing again. "Oh, well, thank you. It was... interesting, to say the least." He glanced back at the fire pit, remembering Dante''s warning. "I didn''t expect it to be like this."

    "What did you expect?" Elizabeth asked with a teasing grin. "You''re the new S-rank, and you just won the Ascendants Tournament. Everyone here was dying to meet you." She paused for a moment, her gaze drifting away before returning to meet his eyes. "And you know... it''s not all bad. You should enjoy it while it lasts. You''re young, you''re talented, and you''ve got your whole life ahead of you."

    "Yeah, I guess..." Sero glanced at her. "But, what about you? You don''t seem that much older than me."

    Elizabeth laughed softly. "Well, I''m actually not that much older. I''m only twenty-three. But I''ve been here for a while now, and I''ve seen my fair share of people come and go." She leaned back against the log they were sitting on, stretching her long legs out in front of her. "You know, it''s easy to get caught up in all the attention and the status, but at the end of the day, we''re all just people here, trying to find our place in the world."

    "Are you... famous too?"

    Elizabeth laughed again. "Oh, no. Not really. I''ve just been here long enough that people know who I am. I''ve had my share of attention in the past, but now... I don''t know, I guess I''ve just kind of found my niche." She glanced at him, her eyes thoughtful. "I''ve also been around people long enough to tell if something''s up with them."

    Sero frowned, not quite sure how to respond. He glanced away, watching the stars twinkle above them. Elizabeth seemed nice, and it was refreshing to talk to someone who wasn''t throwing themselves at him or asking for his autograph. It was better that she wasn''t one of those people Dante said would be afraid of him, either.

    "Do you drink?" Elizabeth jolted him out of his thoughts again, holding out a bottle of beer.

    He blinked at her, taken aback. "Um, yeah, I guess," he said, accepting the drink. He twisted off the top and clinked it against hers before taking a sip. The liquid burned its way down his throat, making his chest warm. "Thanks," he said, setting the bottle down. "I don''t drink that much usually, but... tonight''s been kind of crazy."

    "Well, you deserve it," Elizabeth said with a small smile. "So, what do you like to do when you''re not doing Ascendant stuff?"

    "I-" Sero paused. "I''m not sure, really. I''ve been working and doing Ascendant stuff for so long that I haven''t been able to really take a step back and think about what I like to do for fun." He took another sip of his drink, thinking about it. "I guess I just... enjoy being with people. Not just the attention-seeking stuff, but just... being around those who understand what it''s like to be an Ascendant."

    "That''s a good thing," Elizabeth said softly. "It''s important to have a support system, especially in this line of work." She took another drink herself, her expression thoughtful. "I used to be more into art. I loved to paint and draw, but then I got too busy with everything here and sort of let it fall by the wayside." She glanced at him, her eyes meeting his. "Maybe you could try something like that? Find something that makes you happy and just make time for it, even if it''s only a little bit every day?"

    Sero considered her words for a while, gazing into the fire pit. He took another sip of his drink, savoring the warmth that spread through his chest. "I guess I could try that," he said finally. "Thanks for the advice."

    Elizabeth smiled at him, her expression gentle. "No problem. And don''t worry about the attention and the pressure. It''s easy to get caught up in it, but at the end of the day, you''re still just someone who happened to be born with a special gift."

    Sero looked at her curiously. "Are you an Ascendant, too?"

    Elizabeth laughed lightly. "No, I''m not. I''m just a regular old human. But I''ve been around enough of you to know that you''re all unique in your own ways, even if you do share some of the same abilities." She paused, taking another sip of her drink. "I think that''s what makes you all so fascinating to people, you know? It''s not just about the powers; it''s about who you are underneath it all."

    They sat in silence for a while, watching the people inside the mansion and listening to the nighttime sounds of the city. The stars above them seemed to twinkle brighter, more alive than ever before. Sero found himself relaxing into the moment, enjoying the company of this stranger who had somehow managed to make him feel at ease.

    He hadn''t realized how much time had passed until he glanced at his phone. It was getting late, and he needed to get back home. As much as he hated to leave this peaceful spot with Elizabeth, he knew it was time to go. "I should probably get going," he said, standing up. "I''ve stayed long enough."

    Elizabeth rose as well, her expression regretful. "I''m sorry if I kept you here too long," she said. "I just enjoyed talking to you."

    "No, it''s fine. I... I enjoyed talking to you, too," Sero said, his voice barely a whisper. He glanced at her, suddenly mustering up the courage as he offered his phone to her. "Could I... get your number? I would like to get to know you better."

    Elizabeth smiled, taking his phone and tapping in her number. "Of course. And I''d like that," she said, handing it back to him. "Maybe we can hang out again sometime, just the two of us."

    Sero nodded, his heart racing a little. "I''d like that too," he managed to say. He pocketed his phone, feeling a strange mixture of nervousness and excitement bubbling up inside him. "Well, I should get going. It was really nice meeting you, Elizabeth."

    Elizabeth smiled at him, her eyes twinkling. "It was nice meeting you too, Sero. Take care and be safe out there." She walked with him back to the entrance of the mansion, where Cassandra noticed the two.

    "Ah, Sero! I didn''t realize you were still here. Elizabeth, was it? He''s quite the charmer, isn''t he?" The Glass Queen winked, her voice teasing as she looked at them with unfocused eyes.

    "We take our eyes off you for one moment, and you''ve already got another pretty girl with you," Gwyndolyn joined the trio, a knowing smile curving her lips. "You must have quite the way with you, young man."

    "N-no, I just," Sero stammered, feeling his cheeks flush. "I mean, it was just nice talking to everyone. Thanks for inviting me, Gwyndolyn."

    "Please, Gwyn is fine," she assured him with a small laugh, a soothing chime to his ears. "And you''re more than welcome. We''re always happy to have new faces at our little gatherings." Cassandra nodded in agreement, her smile warm. "And who knows, Sero? Maybe you''ll find yourself back here again, surrounded by all these lovely people."

    Sero smiled back at them, feeling a little more confident now. "I''d like that," he said, before turning to Elizabeth one last time. "It was really nice meeting you tonight. Take care, and I hope I''ll see you again soon."

    Elizabeth smiled warmly at him, and there was something in her eyes that made him feel like she meant it. "You too, Sero. Take care and stay safe." As she walked away, he watched her go, a small smile playing on his lips.

 Chapter 76: Hell Breaks Loose â€“ Part 1

    Sero declined the two Janitors'' offer to drive him back home, deciding to teleport back instead. Before leaving, he managed to secure Gwyndolyn''s autograph for Nala, a real signature on paper rather than a napkin.

    Emulating Lawbreak and casting Cat Paradox, Sero willed himself to teleport near his penthouse complex rather than in front of his door. He wanted to stay out a little longer, so he decided to take a leisurely stroll through the city streets. The night air was cool, the lights of the city casting a warm glow on the sidewalks. People bustled about their business, some hurrying to get home, others out enjoying the nightlife. Sero took in the sights and sounds, feeling a newfound sense of energy coursing through him.

    He found himself drawn to a small park nearby, where a group of street performers had set up shop. A trio of musicians were playing lively jazz tunes, their instruments filling the air with a delightful melody. Sero stopped to watch them for a moment, tapping his foot to the rhythm, and found himself lost in the music. It was the first time in a long while that he had truly enjoyed himself, without the weight of his responsibilities and worries weighing down on him.

    It was only for an instant, but Sero almost forgot what the real world was like before a small crack thundered behind him, followed by the screams of people.

    He whirled around, his eyes narrowing. A red-ringed black portal had opened up in the air above the musicians, and a shadowy skeletal figure clad in red and black armor dropped out from it. The armored figure was wielding a massive sword, which it swung down at the musicians with inhuman speed and strength. Sero gasped as the trio of musicians were cut down in an instant, a torrent of crimson blood spraying up in the air. The figure then turned its attention to the crowd, its cold, empty sockets scanning the horrified faces.

    Instinctively, Sero activated his skill rotation, sending out his entire face card army minus Sting. Moss and Lime automatically appeared without him needing to call them, much to Sero¡¯s amazement and appreciation. As the 12 face cards rushed to engage with the armored monster, Sero assessed his surroundings, noting a few people running in his direction, radiating mana. He guessed that they were also Ascendants coming to aid him, so he turned his attention back to the monster, which had already been decimated by his army.

    "Oh, what?" Sero murmured to himself in shock. He hadn''t expected to take down the monster so easily, but there was no time to rest as more similar-looking monsters poured out of the portal, meeting his Court. His stomach throbbed painfully, and an image of Malice flashed through his mind, causing him to shiver.

    "Peter Guhn, A-rank Warrior! What''s the situation?" One of the Ascendants asked Sero as two others joined them. He was a tall, broad-shouldered dark-haired man with a confident air about him.

    "Uh... a portal opened and my army is taking out the monsters," Sero answered, unsure of what to do.

    "Er... and your callout?" Peter glanced at him in confusion.

    "Oh... Sero Kassel... S-rank Scholar," Sero stammered, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I''m not sure what''s going on either." He glanced around, still in shock from the sudden attack.

    "Lucy Gray, B-rank Healer!" A redheaded woman with dark eyes spoke next.

    "Marlon Powell, A-rank Paladin." The man with long brown hair and pale yellow eyes next to her finished.

    After their callouts, the three Ascendants glanced at Sero expectantly. He slowly realized that since his rank was the highest, they were looking to him for leadership.

    "Alright, everyone, I think we need to-" Sero began, but was cut off as another crack of thunder filled the air. A massive black dragon emerged from the portal, its wings casting a shadow over the entire park. The monster let out a deafening roar, and everyone in the area fell silent in fear.

    "Ok, what the fuck?" Sero grumbled to himself, activating Perfect Analysis as his Rationality went into effect, clearing his mind and forcing his fear of dying down. On the ground, his face card army was struggling to hold back the armored skeletons, so he summoned Sting to help aid them. The Joker wordlessly rushed forward, immediately cutting down several monsters with her rapier.

    Even though Sero had so many summons out, Lime was doing a fantastic job of draining mana from the dragon that had emerged, sending it to him to replenish his reserves. Moss bounced around, intercepting and absorbing the fiery breath the black dragon sent out.

    Trusting in his summons, Sero turned back to the three Ascendants, who were still waiting for him to give orders, though they looked like they weren''t expecting to do much as the summons were quickly taking control of the situation.

    "Um, so..." Sero stammered, feeling a bit out of his depth. "I think we should just... keep fighting?" He suggested, unsure of what else to say. "My summons can handle most of it, and the others can focus on taking out the dragon. We''ll need to keep the crowd safe, though, so Lucy and Marlon, do that. Peter, you''re with me."

    The three other Ascendants nodded in understanding, and split up. Lucy and Marlon moved through the crowd, directing people to safety and keeping them calm, while Peter stayed by Sero''s side. The Scholar focused his attention on the battle, watching as his summoned face cards fought with a ferocity that belied their cartoonish appearances. The dragon let out another bone-chilling roar, but Moss continued to absorb its breath, and Lime kept draining its mana.

    "Sir... I don''t think there''s anything I can do..." Peter weakly said to Sero as he watched the battle rage on. "We''ve already called in the outbreak, grading it as a high B-rank but... other than the dragon, you seemed to have this under control."If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "Huh, does it really?" Sero replied, surprised. "Well, in that case, Peter, watch my back as I take down the dragon."

    Without another word, Sero ran forward, gathering mana within his body. Lime followed close behind, still draining mana from the dragon. Moss, too, moved to engage it, using her absorption ability to shield Sero from the beast''s breath. The black dragon turned its attention to the three of them, focusing its gaze on the Scholar as it prepared to strike.

    If it had been the Sero who had just revived, he probably wouldn''t have been so confident, but right now, with his experience and the power of his summons, he felt like he could take on anything. He charged forward, leaping high into the air and simultaneously casting a massive Shadow Bind and Mana Lock on the dragon, restricting its movement. As he fell to the ground, Sero raised a hand to the sky, conjuring the Jury axe and aiming it directly at the draconic creature''s head.

    The black dragon let out a roar and struggled against the binds as Sero swung the Jury axe with all his might, striking true and cleaving the dragon''s head straight down the middle, the resulting shockwave forcing its body to split in half with an echoing wet squelch.

    As the monster fell to the ground, Sero took a moment to catch his breath, feeling a slight amazement at himself. He had just single-handedly taken down a dragon. Compared to the lobster boss a month ago, this was like nothing. He glanced over at his summoned allies, who were slowly cleaning up the remaining skeletons. Numbly, he realized the sight of mangled bodies caught up in the carnage didn¡¯t seem to faze him.

    "That... was amazing..." Peter whispered as he approached Sero, the black dragon''s body beginning to dissolve into dust. Even the other two Ascendants, who had been watching from a distance, looked impressed. "I saw your matches during the tournament, but I never thought you were this strong."

    Sero grinned sheepishly. "Well, you know, I''m fucking cool," he said, then winced as soon as the words left his mouth. They didn''t sound right to him anymore. "I mean... I''ve had a lot of practice. And my summons are really strong. They make all the difference." He looked back at the portal, which was closing up fast. "Anyway, we should probably help with the cleanup and make sure everyone''s okay. Right, Peter?"

    The Warrior nodded. "Y-yeah. Let''s do that."

    However, before they could rest, there was another crack in the distance, near his penthouse. Sero''s eyes widened in shock.

    "Don''t tell me... is that another outbreak?"

    Sero and Peter hurried to the source of the crack, finding a portal that had opened up on the street near the penthouse. As they approached, they could see that the area around it was already swarming with guards and emergency personnel.

    "Sero?"

    He turned around, seeing Nala rushing up to them. "Sero, what happened?" she asked, her eyes slightly wide with concern. "I sensed several energies over by the park and now there''s an outbreak here."

    "There was an outbreak over there," Sero replied, pointing in the direction of the park, "but we''ve taken care of it. Or at least, we think we have. But it seems like there''s another one here. We need to take care of this one, too." Without waiting for a reply, he sprinted toward the portal, followed closely by Nala and Peter.

    "Are Luna and Casey safe?" Sero yelled back to the Shadereaper, who nodded.

    "I argued against it, but she placed him under a spell to keep him from panicking," Nala explained, her voice tense. "Casey''s sleeping while Luna watches over him."

    They arrived at the portal just as the first of the monsters emerged from it, a giant spider that towered over them. The area around the portal was already swarming with guards, but it was clear that they were outmatched. Sero nodded to his allies and conjured his face card army along with Sting and his dragon pups.

    "Okay, everyone, listen up! We need to take down these monsters and close the portal as quickly as possible. I''ll take care of the big one," Sero shouted, pointing at the spider. "Nala, you and Peter help out with the smaller ones."

    Behind them, Lucy and Marlon caught up, their expressions grim. "We just called in this outbreak, but it seems as though multiple portals have been opening up all over the 25th Zone," Marlon reported. "Lucy and I will take care of the citizens; there might be some more Ascendants coming to help if they aren''t busy with the other outbreaks."

    "Thanks, you two," Sero replied, then turned back to the giant spider before them. "What the fuck is going on?"

    As he spoke, a loud hissing filled the air and several more insect-like monsters began to emerge from the portal. Sero quickly recalled his summoned allies and placed them strategically around the area, forming a defensive line. Peter and Nala clashed with the monsters, a chaotic battle ensuing as they struggled to keep the situation under control.

    Noticing that Lucy and Marlon had escorted most of the people to safety, Sero gritted his teeth, conjuring a mana cannon and slamming it down, casting a wide-scale Blast Zone.

    "Both you guys, take cover!" Sero shouted to Nala and Peter as he fired green spheres of mana into the sky, bathing the place in a green hue. The Warrior seemed confused, but Nala dragged him away, realizing Sero''s plan.

    As the monsters threatened to overwhelm his army, Sero called down his mana, casting a variant of a skill he decided to name Starfall Railgun. High-pitched shrieks from both the railguns and the creatures clamored in the night as the skill targeted all enemies on top of the Blaze Zone field. Within seconds, the insect-like monsters were reduced to a heap of writhing corpses, including the spider boss monster.

    The aftermath of the battle was chaotic. Emergency medical teams rushed in to tend to the few injured civilians, while the guards and Ascendants worked together to secure the area and close the portal. Sero and Nala approached the closing portal, the latter looking at him with a mixture of awe and worry.

    "That was crazy," Nala said, shaking her head as they watched the portal close. "Was that a new skill you just made up?"

    Sero smiled sheepishly. "Uh, yeah. It''s called Starfall Railgun. I kind of improvised it. But I think it worked pretty well."

    As they turned to walk away, they were approached by Peter, who had just finished speaking with the guards and Ascendants. "Hey, Sero," he said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "You did good out there. But I think we''ve got a bigger problem on our hands. The portal was just the beginning."

    "What do you mean?" Sero asked, feeling a knot form in his stomach.

    Peter''s expression was grim. "There''s been a pattern of these portal openings happening all over the city. At least a dozen of them so far. And the monsters that are coming through are much stronger than the ones we faced tonight."

    "When did they begin?" Nala asked, concern clearly etched on her face.

    "Just a few hours ago. And the monsters coming through... they''re not just regular ones. Some of them are even stronger than the Ascendants. We need to warn the others, and find a way to stop this," Peter explained, his voice tense. "Sero, I think we need your help."

 Chapter 77: Hell Breaks Loose â€“ Part 2

    "Fucking hell," Sero cursed as he dialed Amaya¡¯s number, racing into his penthouse. "I really need a break."

    The scene in the city had left him shaken. The normally bustling streets were now lined with emergency medical vehicles and guards, the people huddled together in fear. It was a far cry from the vibrant zone he had grown used to. And the worst part was, it was only going to get worse.

    Sero glanced around his penthouse, taking in the opulence that had once been a symbol of his success. Now, it all seemed empty and hollow. He wondered if he would ever be able to return to his old life. "Hello?" he said into the phone, trying to sound more confident than he felt.

    Amaya''s voice came through the line, sounding equally concerned. "What''s going on, Sero? I heard about the portal openings from the Pentagram. Are you okay?"

    "Yeah, I just closed two of them," Sero ran to his bedroom, finding Luna watching over a sleeping Casey. "Just checking to see if you''re okay. Have you informed the others, or do they already know of the situation?"

    "The Janitors are already moving to help, and the Pentagram issued an emergency alert for the 25th Zone. Thankfully, it''s only here that portals are popping up so fast, but the 24th Zone is beginning to see a rise as well."

    "Fuck," Sero cursed again. "All right, I''ll be out to help with the outbreaks after I make sure Casey and Luna are good."

    "Ok. And Sero?" Amaya''s voice sounded hesitant over the phone.

    "Yeah?" Sero asked, glancing at Luna and Casey before looking back at the phone.

    "Please be safe."

    "I will," he assured her. "Just stay safe yourself." He hung up the phone and turned to Luna. "I''m going to help with the portal outbreaks. Can you watch after Casey for a while?"

    The succubus nodded, her expression grave. "Of course, Sero. You know I''ll keep him safe."

    He handed her a spare phone that Peter had given him, his number already entered. "Then take this. You might need it."

    Outside, the streets were still teeming with activity, but now there was an undercurrent of fear and urgency. The Zone¡¯s authorities and Ascendants were working tirelessly to contain the situation, while ordinary citizens tried their best to stay out of harm''s way. Sero made his way over to where Peter, Nala, and a group of other strong Ascendants were coordinating their efforts.

    "Sero!" Peter exclaimed, relief evident in his voice. "We''ve got another portal opening a few blocks away. We need you to help us seal it."

    Sero nodded, feeling a surge of adrenaline as he followed Peter and Nala to the site of the newest breach. The air was thick with the stench of burning flesh and the screams of panicked citizens. As they approached, they could see an army of flaming giants, their skin charred and blackened, emerging from the portal. Near them, people who were unlucky enough to be caught in the heat littered the streets, their flesh burned and melted.

    Quickly summoning Moss and Lime, Sero casted Ground Fortress, creating an earthen barrier that swirled around the giants and prevented the stray flames from injuring anyone else as the pups growled and drained the mana from the invaders. Sero casted a giant Water Blast to dampen the heat and flames as the monsters pushed forward, Nala and Peter coming to his aid.

    The fight was brutal, but the three of them managed to hold their own against the onslaught, Sero carrying the team with his relentless Water Blast usage. As the last of the flaming giants fell, the biggest of them all, Peter collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. "I can''t... keep this up," he wheezed. "I''m almost out of mana."

    "Me too," Nala grimaced, bending forward to catch her breath. She glanced at Sero with an exhausted look. "How are you still able to keep going?"

    "Lime''s supplying me with mana, and my Queen cards top off my energy," Sero replied with a bitter grin as he summoned the Queen of Hearts and the Queen of Spades to help the other two recover. "But we can''t keep sealing portals like this. Not when most of us can''t keep going like I can."

    He looked around, taking in the exhausted and terrified faces of the other Ascendants and regular civilians alike. The news had reported that the portals were opening at an increasing rate, and there was no sign of it slowing down. A sense of hopelessness threatened to engulf him, but he forced it back down, his Rationality in full effect.

    "Champion!"

    Sero had never been so relieved to hear Aphiel''s voice in his thoughts.

    "Aphiel! Do you know what''s going on?"

    "Yes, champion, the other gods are alarmed at this situation as well. Some of them have been communicating with their champions, directing them to where they predict an outbreak will occur."

    Sero glanced at Nala and Peter, who were still trying to catch their breaths. "Hey, you two rest here for now. I''m going to keep pushing forward."

    "But Sero, we can''t leave you alone," Nala protested.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    "It''s fine," he shook his head. "I''m an S-rank, remember? If things get too dicey, I''ll retreat, but we can''t afford to stop now."

    Sero took off at a jog before the Shadereaper could protest. "Aphiel, I don''t think we can keep shutting those portals down every time they pop up. We gotta find out why, how, and who is behind the outbreaks."

    The streets were a chaotic mess of emergency services and Ascendants trying to contain the situation. Sero made his way through the crowds, dodging panicked civilians. His ears were attuned to the chatter on the comms frequency, trying to gather any information that might be helpful.

    "I can try my best, but I do not believe it will be easy to pinpoint the reason for all of this," Aphiel warned. "The other gods are still investigating, and we may have to gather more information before we can understand what is truly happening."

    Before Sero could respond, he noticed a hooded figure hidden in an alleyway off to the side, holding their hands up to the sky. Right then he knew that it was a Culling member preparing to cause an outbreak.

    "Oh, no you don''t," Sero growled under his breath, racing towards the figure and casting Shadow Bind.

    The Culling member cried out in pain as the dark tendrils wrapped around their limbs, immobilizing them. Before they could react further, Sero placed a hand on their shoulder, projecting a soothing calmness with a Dominate beam.

    "Now, you''re going to tell me everything you know about the outbreaks, got it?" he demanded, his voice steady and confident. The male Culling member, still panting in pain, nodded weakly, his eyes unfocused as he submitted to his will. "Good. Start talking."

    Sero waited patiently as the man began to speak, revealing that they had been working under the orders of a mysterious figure known only as the ''Savior''. This figure was rumored to be the leader of the Culling, and they had been orchestrating the outbreaks in order to weaken the other gods and acquire sacrifices so that they could invoke a Catastrophe.

    "Anything else?" Sero asked, his voice cold and unforgiving. The Culling member tried to speak, but then his eyes cleared up, breaking free from Sero''s control.

    "You can''t stop us, Ascendant!" he spat, struggling against the Shadow Bind. "The Savior will succeed, and the world will be cleansed!"

    "What the fuck, how did you break free?" Sero murmured to himself. "Whatever, I''ll just probe your memories..." He tried casting Mind Search, surprised to find out that the man''s mind was being protected.

    "Ha! You think you''re so clever, Ascendant! But you''ll never find out the truth!" the Culling member laughed, his voice manic. "The Savior will crush you and your pathetic gods! You''ll all burn in the Catastrophe!"

    Irritation began to bubble within Sero as he grasped the man by the neck. "You''re going to tell me what I want to know," he growled, "or I''m going to snap your neck right now."

    The Culling member simply grinned, his eyes glowing with darkness. "Those to be culled, have failed to-"

    Before Sero realized it, he casted a full-powered Lightning Bolt, vaporizing the Culling member in his hands before he could finish the incantation. Shocked at himself, Sero felt his Rationality quickly calming his nerves as he gazed at the smoking remains of the cultist.

    "Champion? What did you do...?" Aphiel whispered in his thoughts, her voice trembling with concern.

    "I...I lost control," Sero responded, his voice strangely even. "I didn''t mean to."

    He took a deep breath, doubling down on his resolve. "We''ll talk about that later. Right now, we know that Culling has a hand in causing these outbreaks, so we just have to find them before they-" Sero''s phone rang, causing him to jump. He answered the call, trying to sound calm and collected.

    "Hello?"

    "Sero!" Luna''s hushed voice came from the other side, sounding fearful. "I think there''s someone trying to break in!" The succubus gave a muffled shriek as Sero heard a dull thud through the speaker.

    "Luna? Luna, are you okay?" Sero shouted, panic rising in his voice. The call dropped, causing Sero to yell out in frustration.

    Gathering his senses, he emulated Lawbreak, immediately teleporting back to his penthouse. When his world stabilized, he found his door hanging off its hinges, revealing complete disarray inside. The room was splattered with blood and strewn with the bodies of several cultists, all of them radiating with traces of wicked energy attributed to Culling. Ahead, the windows had been shattered, letting in a fierce breeze that carried the scent of death.

    Sero dashed into his bedroom, where he found Luna lying unconscious on the floor, her succubus form exposed as she struggled to breathe. Sero knelt beside her, his heart racing as he casted Recovery.

    "Luna, hey, talk to me," Sero murmured, his hand shaking as he brushed a lock of her hair from her face. Her orange eyes fluttered open, her gaze flickering back and forth between him and the carnage around them. She coughed weakly, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. "Are you hurt?" Sero asked, his voice tight with worry.

    "A little bit, but I''m fine," Luna sat up, dispersing her wings. Her eyes suddenly widened as she registered Sero there. "Wait, they took him!"

    Sero looked at her, confused. "Took who?"

    "Casey!" Luna cried, tears streaming down her face. "I tried fighting them off for as long as possible, but there were so many!"

    A cold chill ran down Sero''s spine as he registered Luna''s words. "Casey?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper. "What do you mean they took him?"

    The succubus looked at him with pleading eyes. "When I fought them off, they...they grabbed him and took him! I just remember one of them was a man wearing glasses!" she sobbed, her voice cracking.

    A mixture of fear and despair washed over Sero, overshadowed by a blinding rage. He let out a primal scream, the sound echoing through the penthouse.

    He panted, gazing around at the littered bodies in his living room as Luna continued to quietly sob. His phone rang again, and despite his best efforts to ignore it, he had to answer.

    "Sero?" Amaya''s voice came from the other side.

    "I''m here," Sero replied, his voice tight with rage. "What''s up?"

    "I''m... I''m not sure," the Spellblade''s voice was shaking. "But I just got word that the outbreaks have suddenly stopped spawning."

    Sero frowned, his anger momentarily forgotten. "What do you mean they''ve stopped?"

    There was a brief pause before Amaya continued. "I don''t know how to explain it, but it looks like the outbreaks have been... stopped, just like that. It''s like they''ve been cut off at the source."

    Sero glanced at Luna, slowly realizing that Casey''s kidnapping and all of the outbreaks may be connected. "Gather everyone at the Ascendants Association," he told Amaya. "I think... I know what just happened."

 Chapter 78: Hell Breaks Loose â€“ Final Part

    Despite it being so late into the night, Sero had adrenaline pumping through his body as the Pentagram and Janitors filed into the association conference room. With the addition of Gwyndolyn, Nala, and Luna, it was the same group of people from the first meeting.

    "Alright everyone," Dante said, taking a seat at the head of the table. "I think we''re all aware of the situation. Sero, why don''t you fill us in on what you know?"

    Sero took a deep breath, his eyes darting between each of them. "I think we can all agree that something big just happened tonight," he began. "The outbreaks have stopped, but more importantly, my friend, Casey, has been taken by the cult."

    Dante held up a hand. "What does your friend Casey being kidnapped have anything to do with this?"

    Sero clenched his jaw. "It might be a hunch, but as soon as he was taken, the outbreaks suddenly stopped spawning."

    "So? That doesn''t mean they''re related."

    "Of course it does," Sero snapped. "Think about it. The outbreaks have been spreading at an exponential rate, and now, as soon as Casey is taken, they just... stop? It''s not a coincidence."

    "Sero," Gwyndolyn began gently. "I know how you must feel, but if Culling''s goal was truly to kidnap Casey, they would''ve done it while you were at my party, wouldn''t they?"

    Amaya shot Sero a questioning look, but he ignored it. "I realize that, but what if they didn''t know where he was? What if they were waiting for me to get back to my penthouse?"

    "That''s a good point," Kaizo conceded. "And if that''s the case, it does raise some questions about why they would want him. We know they''re interested in invoking Catastrophes, but why would they target Casey? Opening a flurry of outbreaks would''ve given them enough sacrifices to do so."

    Sero frowned. "I don''t know, but I''m sure there''s a reason. Maybe they needed someone with his particular skill set. Or maybe they just wanted to make a statement. Either way, we need to find him before they do whatever they''re planning."

    Dante shook his head. "Without proof, there''s no reason to put so much emphasis on finding Casey. We don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s the only cause behind the outbreaks stopping all of a sudden. Our main priority right now is to continue to monitor the Zones, but now we have some Culling members in custody that we can interrogate."

    Sero looked at Dante, anger and determination in his eyes. "With all due respect, Dante, we can''t just ignore this. If we do, we''re as good as letting them get away with it. And who knows what they''ll do next?"

    The Sin Reaper''s eyes glowed neon green as he glared back at Sero, the scar across his face stretching taught. "I get that you care deeply for your friend, but don''t forget your position, Sero. You''re under watch, and with tensions running high, we can''t afford to spare the manpower needed to search for him."

    Sero felt his anger rising. "I won''t ask you to spare any manpower, Dante. I''ll find him myself."

    "Sero," Kaizo warned. "You can''t just go off on your own like that. You don''t know what you''re getting into."

    "They''re right, mate," J''takk chipped in as she glanced at Ione and Meredith for support. "Even if you do find him, what then? How are you going to rescue him?"

    Sero''s jaw tightened as the other two members of the Pentagram nodded their agreement. "I''ll figure something out."

    "If you want to go off on a suicide mission, then so be it," Dante growled. "But the rest of us here won''t offer any help. Janitors included."

    Sero''s eyes flashed with defiance. "I didn''t ask for your help, Dante. I''m doing this on my own." He stood up from his chair, his hands shaking with anger and determination. "If anyone here wants to come with me, feel free. But if not, then I''ll find my friend myself."

    As he turned to walk away, he half-expected Kit, Amaya, Nala, or even Enzo to follow. But no one, Luna included, made any move to join him. He felt a pang of disappointment, but refused to let it show on his face. He would find the boy, with or without their help.

    Exiting the conference room, Sero prepared to teleport back to his ruined penthouse when he heard footsteps behind him.

    "Sero..." Amaya''s voice called out softly.

    He paused, not turning around. "What?"

    "I... I want to come with you, but I can''t."

    "What''s the point of telling me that, then?"

    "Because I need you to know that I am with you, Sero," Amaya said, her voice firm. "I believe in you, and I''ll do whatever I can to help from here. Just... be careful, okay?"

    Sero paused, his heart aching with a mixture of gratitude and frustration. He turned to face her, trying to hide the unsteadiness in his voice. "Thanks, Amaya. I''ll be careful."Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    He began to leave but suddenly bumped into someone around the corner, causing them to let out a soft cry of surprise.

    "Ow- Sero?"

    Elizabeth stood there, flanked by a tall man and woman. The man had short, spiky brown hair, piercing gray eyes, and a wolfish smile. Though he seemed at ease, there was a hungry look in his eyes, almost like a predator''s. The woman, slightly shorter than Sero, had long dark hair, with a quiet aura about her. Her soft magenta eyes carefully observed Sero and Amaya.

    "Elizabeth!" Sero exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

    "Ah," Elizabeth smiled awkwardly. "I guess I wasn''t totally honest with you the other night."

    Sero frowned. "About what?"

    "Who''s this?" Amaya stepped up, and Sero swore he saw a hint of jealousy flickering in her eyes.

    "Oh, uh, this is Elizabeth. I met her at Gwyn''s album release party," Sero explained. "Elizabeth, this is my... friend, Amaya."

    Elizabeth smiled, stepping forward. "Nice to meet you, Amaya."

    Amaya nodded coolly. "Likewise."

    "Um," Sero coughed into his hand, not knowing why he was sensing tension. "Why are you here, Elizabeth?"

    "Oh," the other woman shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I never meant to hide it, but I''m the head of the A.R.E.S. Unit division."

    Sero stared blankly at Elizabeth, but it seemed as though Amaya knew what she was talking about as the Spellblade had an incredulous expression on her face.

    "You''re... the Empress?" Amaya asked, slightly in awe.

    "Who?" Sero glanced between the women. Elizabeth chuckled dryly.

    "The A.R.E.S. Unit division is made up of non-Ascendants who are equipped with advanced technology that can keep up with the supernatural abilities of Ascendants," Elizabeth began, holding her palm out. A flash of white light emitted from her hand, forming a circular white disk with runic symbols on the outer ring. A smaller circle in the center glowed with a white light. "Called Armored Reinforcement Exo-Suits, these disks are the pinnacle of science, and give regular old humans like me a chance to stand on equal ground with people like you, Sero."

    The two beside her nodded silently; the man conjured a blue disk with a glowing white center while the woman conjured a black disk with a glowing red center.

    "To formally reintroduce myself, I''m Elizabeth Grace, holder of the A.R.E.S. Unit¨C a.k.a Empress," she said, dispersing the disk in her hand. "This is Jack, a.k.a Fenrir and Yelena, a.k.a Warpath. I work with the nation''s defensive forces, much like the Ascendants Association''s Special Protections division or the Janitors."

    Sero''s mind whirled with questions, but he quickly processed the information, giving Elizabeth a curious look. "Then, why were you at Gwyn''s party?"

    Elizabeth grinned sheepishly. "Well, Serafina, one of my subordinates in the A.R.E.S. Unit is her... friend. And she''s always trying to get us to branch out, to interact with people from different backgrounds. So I went along with her plan, but I didn''t expect to meet anyone quite like you."

    "Yeah, likewise..." Sero trailed off, his mind still reeling from the revelation.

    "To help answer Sero''s question earlier," Amaya butted in, her initial awe at Elizabeth''s identity replaced by a strange irritation. "I''m assuming you''re here to join the meeting with the Pentagram and Janitors?"

    "Yes," Elizabeth nodded. "We''ve been monitoring the situation closely and believe that our expertise in non-magical combat could be an asset to the group. We''ve already received the invitation from Dante and Gregor and will be in attendance."

    Sero looked at Amaya, who was still glaring at Elizabeth. "Well, I''m glad we''re all on the same page here."

    Elizabeth chuckled, "Yes, it''s good to have such a diverse group of individuals working together. I''m sure we''ll make quite the team." She turned to Sero. "If you don''t mind me asking, Sero, what role do you play in all this? You seem to know a lot about what''s going on."

    He opened his mouth, remembering what he had initially set out to do. "I... I have to go," Sero said apologetically. He glanced at Amaya. "Can you explain everything to Elizabeth, please? I really have somewhere to be."

    "Of course," Amaya said, though she didn''t seem too enthusiastic about the idea. "Go do what you need to, Sero."

    Elizabeth nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Amaya. I appreciate it. And Sero, don''t worry about explaining. We''ll catch up later."

    Sero hesitated for a moment before finally turning to leave, feeling slightly anxious about leaving the two women.

    <hr>

    As he walked away, Amaya could feel an ugly emotion rising within her. She glanced at Elizabeth, who was watching Sero''s retreating figure with a curious expression. "So, you''re friends with him?" Amaya asked, her voice dripping with suspicion.

    "Yeah, I guess you could say that," Elizabeth replied, her tone calm and unperturbed. "We met at Gwyndolyn''s party as you heard before."

    Amaya narrowed her eyes. "And how did you two meet?" she asked, her voice cold.

    Elizabeth blinked, caught off guard by Amaya''s hostility. "Well, he was just sitting alone at the fire pit, and I just thought he''d like some company. Why?"

    "Just... curious," Amaya replied, forcing her emotions down. She didn''t know why she was feeling this way, but something about Elizabeth made her uncomfortable. Maybe it was the fact that she was stunning, or that she seemed to have an easy rapport with Sero.

    "Think it''s time for us to join the meeting, right?" The tall man named Jack interrupted.

    "Oh, right," Amaya replied, still feeling slightly distracted. "Let''s go."

    <hr>

    As soon as there was no one around Sero, he emulated Lawbreak, teleporting back to his ruined penthouse. When he got there, he was shocked to find that all the Culling bodies had disappeared, his place still a mess.

    "What the fuck?" he muttered to himself, but ignored it for now. His main priority was trying to find any clues of Casey''s whereabouts, or Culling''s plans. He began to search the penthouse again, more methodically this time. Hours passed, and he found nothing of significance.

    Giving up, Sero decided to salvage his apartment, using Cat Paradox to restore his penthouse. Aside from all the bloodstains, he managed to repair the furniture and the penthouse itself. He conjured a couple of Jacks and Kings to help clean his penthouse as Sero rested on the couch, trying to make sense of everything that had happened.

    When the first rays of the morning sun began to emerge, exhaustion finally took over his body, pulling Sero deep into sleep. He dreamt fitfully, haunted by images of Culling, the outbreaks, and Malice.

    The sound of his phone ringing loudly jerked him awake, causing Sero to sit up on the couch. He glanced at the screen, recognizing the number as Elizabeth. "Hello?"

    "Sero, it''s Elizabeth. I''m sorry to bother you, but I was hoping we could meet up again. There''s something I need to tell you." There was a pause, and then she continued, "It''s about Casey."

 Chapter 79: A Date With Some Bad News

    Despite only having a few hours of rest, Sero didn''t feel tired at all as he waited for Elizabeth to arrive at his penthouse. He had ordered security cameras through the association, vowing to make his place more safer to prevent any future incidents from happening. Nala had taken Luna to Gregor''s home, where the two of them would remain for now.

    When Elizabeth finally showed up, she looked nervous and distracted, wearing a light jacket over a dark blue shirt and jeans. Sero invited her inside and offered her a seat. "Thank you," she said, sitting down on the couch opposite of him. "So, you''re probably wondering what I have regarding the location of Casey."

    "Yes, I am," Sero replied, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees. "Where is he?"

    As it turns out, Sero was half-right, seeing as Casey wasn''t the only one who had been kidnapped. Multiple young Ascendants had been taken all over the 25th Zone, causing the alliance to shift focus towards searching and rescuing the children. It was in the process of this investigation that they discovered a lead on the whereabouts of Casey and the other captives.

    While the alliance hadn¡¯t forgotten about the missing patients afflicted with the Outbreak Plague or the deceased, there was still a drop in resources in keeping watch over hospitals in the 25th Zone. Thankfully, since the incident only occurred in the 25th, the other Zones were safe to continue their vigilance.

    "From what we could get out of the Culling prisoners, they were taken to somewhere on the outskirts of the zone. They were brought there to serve as test subjects for some kind of... experiment. The Culling had been working on a new virus, one that could infect Ascendants. It''s possible that they wanted to see how it would affect those with higher levels of resistance, like Casey," Elizabeth began, crossing one leg over the other.

    "Wait," Sero shivered. "It wouldn''t be something similar to the Outbreak Plague, right?"

    "Unfortunately, yes," Elizabeth replied grimly. "It seems that the Culling had been working on this virus for a while, and it''s already at an advanced stage. But we don''t know much about its effects yet. That''s why we need to find those children, and Casey, before they can be used as guinea pigs."

    Sero''s heart sank. "What can I do to help?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "I''ll do anything."

    Elizabeth glanced away. "There''s not much you can do right now. The alliance has its hands full with the search and rescue on top of increased patrols. But if you find out anything, anything at all, that could help us, you''re to contact me immediately."

    She paused, seeming to gather her thoughts. "I suppose you could keep an eye on your surroundings as well. The Culling could be after you."

    Sero scowled. "Then I really hope they do."

    Elizabeth looked as if she wanted to advise against it, but sighed instead. "I can only imagine how you''re feeling, Sero. It''s not easy to lose someone you care about."

    "Tell me about it," he muttered back, feeling an ache in his chest at the thought of his parents. Stiffly, as if she wasn''t sure if it was okay, Elizabeth reached over the table, grasping Sero''s hand.

    The contact was surprisingly comforting. It felt... right, somehow. As if they were somehow connected in this mess. She squeezed his hand gently, and he squeezed back. "I''m sorry, Sero," she said softly as she pulled away. "I know it''s not much, but I''m here for you. Even though we just met, I''ve gone through enough to know how you feel."

    He didn''t say anything, but he appreciated the words. He knew that she was right; they had only just met, but somehow she felt like an old friend.

    "Hey, for now, this is all we can do. Why don''t you do something to take your mind off things?" Elizabeth suggested. "Go for a walk, or grab a bite to eat. Maybe hang out with your friends, or visit Nala and Luna. I know they''d love to see you."

    "Yeah, maybe I''ll do that," Sero agreed, then thought for a moment. "Actually, do you want to grab lunch with me?"

    Elizabeth smiled, dimples appearing in her cheeks. "That sounds nice. I could use a break too."

    <hr>

    They found a small caf¨¦ nearby, tucked away in a quiet corner of the zone. The air was warm, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Though the day was pleasant, the atmosphere was tense as Ascendants and security forces alike patrolled the area.

    As they waited for their food, Sero filled Elizabeth in about his life so far. He talked about his resurrection, his parents, his friends, and the things they liked to do together. He felt a strange sense of comfort in her company, as if he could trust her with his story.

    Elizabeth listened intently, nodding along and occasionally adding a comment or asking a question. She seemed genuinely interested in his life, and that made him feel better about sharing it. When she finally told him about herself, it was the same way. She spoke about her life before the apocalypse, her family, and how she had come to be involved with the A.R.E.S. Unit division.

    "My father and mother were spared from the Outbreak Plague, thankfully," Elizabeth gazed down at her food, her eyes distant. "When the apocalypse happened, the three of us were nowhere near any outbreaks, but we went ahead and moved into a safer part of the zone. During that period, I was training to be in the military, but ended up getting scouted to be part of the newly formed A.R.E.S. Unit division at the time. Within a year, I pretty much became the leader."

    Sero listened, fascinated by her story. It seemed like she had always known what she wanted to do, even from a young age. "That''s impressive," he said, nodding in admiration. "You must have been really good at it."

    Elizabeth smiled modestly. "I like to think so. My team and I were able to save a lot of lives during the early days of the apocalypse. But then, things started to change. The Culling began their attacks, and we found ourselves facing enemies that were just as dangerous as the outbreaks." She paused, her expression growing distant.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    "How about you? What did you do before all this?" she asked, changing the subject.

    Sero looked away in embarrassment. "Uh, I studied several majors in college... dropped out because I never followed through with any of them and ended up working as a convenience store clerk until the apocalypse happened. I didn''t have any friends at the time either..."

    He trailed off, feeling a bit self-conscious admitting all that. Elizabeth, however, seemed to understand where he was coming from. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It''s okay, Sero. You''re here now. You''ve seemed to be doing better."

    They ate in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. The conversation around them drifted, people discussing the recent attacks and the increasing tension in the zone. As they finished their food, Sero glanced at the time on his phone.

    "Oh, shoot," he said, standing up. "I didn''t realize how much time had gone by. I was planning to check up on Nala and Luna."

    "No problem," Elizabeth said, pushing her chair in as well. "I can understand that. I should probably get back to work anyway. Thanks for the lunch, Sero."

    <hr>

    Teleporting to the Ascendants Association building, Sero was pleased to find out that he was able to emulate Lawbreak much more frequently and for much longer now. He figured that it was probably just like training a habit over and over until he got the hang of it.

    Since he had no idea where Gregor''s place was, Sero had texted Amaya to meet up at the Ascendant Liaison office. As he entered the office, the liaison was sitting behind her desk, going through some paperwork.

    "Hey, Amaya."

    She glanced up, startled at Sero''s appearance. There was a faint blush on her face, but it quickly disappeared. "Oh, hey, Sero. I was just going through some paperwork. How did your meeting with Elizabeth go?"

    "It went¨C how''d you know about that?"

    "I''m a liaison, but I''ve also been assigned to mediate between the alliance and you, Sero," Amaya said with a small smile. "I''m supposed to know what''s going on with you. But tell me, how did it go?"

    "It was fine," Sero replied, sitting down on the other side of the Spellblade''s desk. "She told me some leads as to where Casey might be, and then we grabbed lunch."

    Amaya raised an eyebrow. "Oh? That''s... nice, I guess. So, any ideas on what to do next?"

    "Well, I was planning on going over to visit Luna and see if she remembers anything else during the kidnapping," Sero said, thinking aloud. "That''s why I asked if you could drive me over to Gregor''s place."

    Amaya nodded, glancing down at her phone. "Alright, I''m just about done here. Give me a second to finish up and I''ll take you there." She put away the paperwork and stood up. "Do you want me to stay with you while you talk to her?"

    "Sure, but I thought you had other stuff to do and couldn''t help me with searching for Casey."

    "I-" Amaya started, looking surprised. "No, it''s okay. I... I actually have some time now. I want to help you as much as I can."

    Sero glanced at her curiously, but didn''t pry any further. "Well, if you say so."

    <hr>

    The trip to Gregor''s place on the outskirts of the city was uneventful, the tension in the car palpable. When they finally arrived, Amaya parked the car and they stepped out. The house looked much larger in person than it had from the road, and it was well-maintained, with a well-manicured lawn and colorful flowers in the garden.

    As the pair walked up the stairs, the door swung open, revealing Luna, who seemed relieved to see them. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, her long hair tied back in a messy ponytail. "Sero!" she exclaimed, stepping forward to hug him. "I''m so glad you''re here. Are you taking me back to your penthouse?"

    "That''s what you thought I was here for?" Sero grumbled, but couldn''t help but return the hug. "No, I''m here to talk to you about something else. I need you to try and remember anything you can about the day Casey was kidnapped."

    Luna''s face fell. "Oh, right... I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to be insensitive. Of course I''ll help however I can." She stepped back, gesturing for them to come inside.

    The inside of the house was just as well-appointed as the outside, with tasteful furniture and artwork adorning the walls. For someone as infamous and strong as Gregor, the house had a surprisingly homey feel to it. Amaya sat down on the couch, while Sero took a seat in a comfortable-looking armchair. Luna perched on the edge of a nearby coffee table, her hands folded in her lap.

    "Where''s Nala?" Sero asked the succubus.

    "Oh, she went out to grab some food," Luna replied sheepishly. "Apparently she got used to the service the association was providing you as well."

    Sero''s face twitched in annoyance, but he ignored it, deciding to focus on more important matters. "Okay, whatever. Do you remember anything else when Casey got kidnapped? I recall you saying something about a man wearing glasses."

    Luna frowned, thinking hard. "Yes, that''s right. There was a man among the Culling that hung back, as if he was just watching me try to fight them all off in your penthouse. He had glasses and... and a strange look in his eyes." She shivered, her voice wavering. "He was the one who grabbed Casey."

    "What kind of strange look? Anything else you remember about this man?" Sero leaned forward.

    "He... he looked almost sad," Luna replied, her brow furrowing as she tried to remember more. "He didn''t seem happy about it, but he didn''t seem particularly upset either. It was as if he was just doing his job. He had gray hair and dark green eyes."

    Sero twitched, a nauseating feeling in his gut that told him he knew very well who this man was.

    "Can you describe his build, or any other distinguishing features?" he asked, voice tight. Luna seemed to sense his discomfort, and looked up at him with concern.

    "Only that his glasses were round and that he seemed a bit old," the succubus nervously fidgeted. "Do you... know him?"

    Sero didn''t answer for a moment, turning to share a look with Amaya. It was clear that he was struggling with something, but whatever it was, he managed to compose himself before turning back to Luna. "No, it''s nothing important. But... were you able to sense anything about him? Like his mana or emotions?"

    The succubus frowned, concentrating. "Yes... his mana signature was faint, almost like he was trying to hide it. But it was definitely there. As for his emotions... I could feel a mix of determination and... and regret. Like he was doing something he didn''t want to, but knew he had to." She shivered. "It was a strange feeling, and it was even more strange that it felt like he knew Casey."

    Sero''s heart sank. He didn''t want to indulge in the hunch he had, but things were beginning to line up. The only problem was figuring out how to prove it. He took a deep breath and tried to maintain his composure as he asked Luna, "You mentioned that he seemed to know Casey. Do you have any idea how that might be possible?"

    The succubus looked thoughtful. "Well, I didn''t sense any familial bond between them, but... it''s possible they knew each other from before. Like that man knew about Casey and his life. Oh, and for some reason, there was a terrifying and disgusting aura of death hanging around him." Luna shivered, holding herself.

    Sero''s heart sank even further. It didn''t make sense, nor did he want to believe it, but the man he was thinking of was the only one who fit the descriptions. "Thank you, Luna," he said, his voice strained. "That''s... that''s all very helpful. We''ll find a way to get Casey back."

    He rose from his seat, feeling unsteady on his feet. Amaya, sensing his distress, took his hand and squeezed it gently. "Are you okay, Sero?" she asked, concerned.

    "Yeah," Sero managed to force a smile. "I''m fine. Just... thinking about everything." He turned to Luna. "Thanks for your help. I''ll come back to check up on you and Nala again."

 Chapter 80: New Resolve

    "I''m guessing you might have an idea of who this man is, don''t you?" Amaya asked, a hint of concern in her voice. The two were in the liaison''s sports car, driving back towards the center of the city.

    "Yeah. To be honest, I¡¯ve known for a while but I just... don''t want to believe it. I mean, it doesn''t really make sense, but at the same time, everything Luna described fit him perfectly."

    "Then who do you think he is?" Amaya asked.

    "I... don''t want to say yet. I need to stop by the hospital again." Sero replied quietly.

    "I''ll come with you."

    Sero grunted his thanks, nursing a mixture of disbelief and anger. His Rationality was active, reasoning that the man in his mind was indeed the culprit, but his denial to believe it continued to find any excuse not to. The more Sero agonized over it, the more enraged and hurt he became. It didn¡¯t help that with everything he had gone through, there didn¡¯t seem to be an end to it.

    His Rationality doubled in strength, squashing the tumultuous emotions building up within him, but Sero couldn¡¯t completely shake it off. It began to dawn on him that he would have to do things he normally wouldn¡¯t in order to keep what he loved.

    Finally, they arrived at the hospital and made their way through the security. Surprisingly, Enzo was in charge of the watch today, and Sero noticed that Amaya seemed stiff around the Demonic Judge.

    If anything had happened between him and Amaya, Enzo either didn''t show it, care, or realize it as he greeted the both of them casually.

    "What''re you planning to do there?" Enzo asked, waving them through the gate.

    "Checking up on a hunch," Sero replied, consciously aware of how Amaya was hiding behind him. "Nothing important."

    The Demonic Judge scowled. "Hope you''re not gonna do anything stupid."

    "Who, me?" Sero dryly shot back. Enzo shook his head as he watched the pair walk towards the entrance.

    The two of them entered the hospital, where they approached a brunette receptionist. Sero had a moment of hesitation, but hoped that Amaya would forgive him for what he planned to do next.

    "Hello, how can I help¨C"

    Sero immediately emulated Lawbreak, casting Cat Paradox to force everyone to ignore the three as he shot the receptionist with a Dominate beam.

    "Please tell me what you know about Dr. Malek''s disappearance and where he lives," Sero calmly asked, hearing Amaya gasp softly beside him.

    "Sero! What are you doing?" The liaison looked appalled at his actions, but then seemed to have a moment of clarity as she pieced together what Sero was thinking. "Wait, you don''t mean to tell me that you think Dr. Malek was the one who kidnapped Casey?"

    The receptionist, frozen by the Dominate beam, struggled to speak. "Dr. Malek... was announced missing. His body was never found, so the authorities assumed he was captured by Culling along with several other deceased patients. As for his address..."

    She seemed to choke on the words, but eventually managed to continue. "I-I have it here. It''s his private practice address, where he lives and works." The receptionist scribbled down the address on a piece of paper and handed it over to Sero.

    "Thanks," Sero replied grimly, casting Cat Paradox on the receptionist. "When I release you from Dominate, you won''t have any memory of this happening." He canceled the Dominate skill, making sure the Cat Paradox erased her memories.

    The receptionist blinked, free from his control. "O-oh, excuse me," she quickly composed herself. "How can I help you two?"

    Sero turned to Amaya, who still seemed shocked by his actions. "I know it''s hard to believe, but it all fits. The timing, the description... everything. And now we have an address."

    <hr>

    They left the hospital and headed toward Dr. Malek''s private practice, which was located near the outskirts of the eastern border. Enzo and the other guards were still stationed outside the entrance to the hospital, but Sero made sure to keep his distance from them.

    During the drive, Sero sensed Amaya''s discomfort. He knew she had to be questioning him, wondering how he could possibly think that Dr. Malek was the one responsible for Casey''s kidnapping or about what he did to the receptionist. Under different circumstances and if Sero never had the skills he had now, he probably wouldn''t have done something so immoral.

    Truthfully, ever since his father died, Sero was well aware of how much he had changed over the past few days. His Rationality passive, while a powerful mental protection, also quelled any moral debates he had within himself. It didn''t help that nearly dying from Malice pushed Sero''s mindset further, making him more inclined to do whatever it took to protect those he cared about, even if it meant crossing lines he never thought he''d cross. He even killed a Culling member without a second thought, something he knew Amaya would never understand.

    But there was no time to explain everything to Amaya. They needed to get to the address as soon as possible. When they arrived at the private practice, it looked like any other ordinary house from the outside, save for the fact that it was nearly 15 minutes away from the nearest neighbor. Sero''s heart raced as he approached the door and rang the bell. After a few moments, an elderly woman in a black gown answered.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "Yes, may I help you?" she inquired politely. She had short, white hair and aging wrinkles on her tan face. Her eyes were blue and oddly full of vitality.

    Sero glanced at Amaya, who was still standing a few steps behind him. He hadn¡¯t really expected anyone to be home. He took a deep breath before speaking. "Um, yes. We''re here about Dr. Malek. We need to speak with him."

    "Dr. Malek? You mean Grodley? I haven''t seen him in a while," the old woman said, tilting her head curiously. "He left a while ago, saying something about an urgent matter. I thought he might be gone for a few days, but... I''m not sure. You should probably wait here. He might be back soon."

    Sero casted Detect to check for anyone or anything else in the house but found it relatively safe. He looked back at Amaya with a worried look, an unnerving feeling washing over him.

    "Thank you for your help," he said to the old woman, "but we really need to speak with Dr. Malek. It''s rather urgent. If you could just tell us where he went or where we could find him, that would be a great help."

    The old woman seemed hesitant, but eventually relented, widening the door. "Well, he left a note saying he was going to check on one of his old patients. The address is on the counter, next to the phone. I''m sure he''ll be back soon, but I suppose you can go and speak with the patient in the meantime."

    Sero made a move to enter, but suddenly halted as his Detect picked up something strange. He hesitantly stared at the elderly woman. It was faint, but there was something about her that seemed... off. He quickly cast a more powerful Detect spell, focusing on her. As the spell took effect, he saw it: the faint glow of a magic aura emanating from her. She was a Mage, and she was using some sort of illusion to make herself appear as an elderly woman.

    It seemed as though the elderly woman noticed Sero¡¯s observation as she quickly began to gather black mana around herself.

    "Oh, fuck¨C"

    Before Sero could react further, Amaya was already lunging forward, tackling the ''elderly woman'' to the ground. Sero hurriedly stepped forward and pinned down her arms, keeping her from casting any spells. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice shaking with anger and fear. "What do you know about Casey?"

    The illusion magic shimmered and disappeared, revealing a young woman with short, black hair. Her eyes were a piercing shade of blue, and she glared at Sero with hatred. "You have no idea what you''re messing with, Ascendant," she snarled.

    Sero felt a chill run down his spine. This woman was not only a Mage, but she was also one of the Culling. He glanced over at Amaya, who looked equally shocked and frightened.

    However, there was no time for them to be paralyzed with shock as Sero sensed a hefty amount of wicked energy approaching their location. He cursed to himself as he realized that it was a trap.

    "Amaya, we have to move!" he shouted, trying to wrestle the woman away from her. "They''re coming for us!"

    But it was too late. Even as Sero activated his skill rotation and summoned his dragon pups along with Sting, they were quickly surrounded by a legion of Culling members from behind.

    "Those to be culled, have failed to¨C"

    Before she could finish the chant, something snapped inside him. Everything he had been through came flooding back to him, causing him to feel a surge of various emotions. He had finally found a lead on Casey¡¯s whereabouts, only to have it be a dead end.

    Sero grabbed the woman by the throat, flinging her into the other Culling members as he let loose a powerful Lightning Bolt, zapping several cultists with a lethal chained voltage.

    In the back of his mind, he noticed how easy it was becoming to kill without guilt as his Rationality completely banished such feelings. For him, his reasoning was that Culling members were no different than the monsters that came from outbreaks. Moss, Lime, and Sting lunged at the rest of Culling, the dragon pups doing their best at disrupting while the Joker struck them down with her rapier.

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, Amaya had been frozen in shock at the brutal savagery Sero was displaying. As she watched him kill the members of the Culling, a chill ran down her spine. "Sero..." she whispered, her voice shaking. "What are you doing?"

    The remaining Culling members closed in on them, surrounding them like a pack of wolves closing in on their prey. They outnumbered Sero and Amaya by at least five to one, and they showed no signs of hesitation as they attacked.

    Sero roared, emulating Harmony as he casted Provoke in conjunction with Undying Spirit, radiating an enormous pressure. Conjuring a Soul Blade, Amaya''s eyes widened as she saw how jagged and sinister the formless green sword looked in Sero''s hands.

    With inhuman speed, the Scholar blitzed the Culling members before his summons could get to them, creating a storm of crimson spray as his blade tore through their ranks. Amaya, stunned by the ferocity of his assault, could only watch in horror as he cleaved his way through the cultists. She knew they were no match for Sero in this state, but something inside her cried out in protest at the slaughter.

    As their numbers quickly dwindled, Amaya sensed a shift in Sero''s aura. The madness that had gripped him moments ago was fading, and the man she knew was coming back to the surface. She tried to catch his eye, hoping to convey her fear and disgust at what he had become. But he didn''t seem to notice her.

    With a final burst of energy, Sero cleaved the last remaining Culling member in two with the Jury. The air was thick with the smell of blood and the stench of death. Amaya''s stomach churned as she looked around at the carnage Sero had left in his wake. "Sero..." she whispered, her voice hoarse. "What happened to you?"

    He turned to her, an unnerving calm in his eyes as his summons quietly dispersed. "What do you mean?" he replied evenly. "I killed all the Culling members. I saved you."

    Amaya took a shaky step back, her hands trembling. "No, Sero," she said, her voice barely audible above the sound of their own hearts racing. "You didn''t save me. You... you killed them. You killed them all."

    He blinked, confusion flickering across his face. "But they were the ones who were going to kill me. And you. I was just defending myself." Sero walked over to a Culling member, who groaned painfully as he kicked him. "Besides, I left this one alive."

    Amaya''s heart ached as she watched him. She knew he was right about them being the ones who would have killed her, but the way he had slaughtered them all... it was so brutal. She couldn''t find the words to explain how it made her feel. "Sero," she said softly, taking another step closer. "I know they were bad people, but... you didn''t have to kill them all like that."

    The Scholar didn''t reply, kneeling down instead and casting Dominate along with Mind Search on the Culling member. After a few minutes, Sero stood up, a grim expression on his face.

    "I have a faint idea of where they took Casey and the other children," Sero said, his voice flat. He turned to Amaya, his expression unreadable. "Come, let''s go."

    "Th-those to be... culled... have failed¨C"

    Amaya yelped and turned away as Sero emotionlessly fired a mana railgun through the Culling member''s head.

 Chapter 81: Plans Laid Bare

    Sero had written down the address and given it to Amaya, who remained silent as she drove them to the secluded location on the northern border of the 25th and 17th Zone. He could tell that she was shaken by his actions, but he didn''t know how to explain it to her. Part of him felt guilty for what he had done, but another part reasoned that that was the best outcome in that situation.

    Granted, the Spellblade had a point about his unnecessary brutality, but Sero couldn''t help but feel that it was warranted in that situation. After all, they were enemies, and they had attacked him first. And in the heat of battle, the rage had simply taken over, proving too much for his Rationality to handle. It wasn''t like he had enjoyed it or anything.

    Sero debated on informing the alliance about their discovery, but figured that they''d either prevent him and Amaya from going right away, or prolonging the siege until they gathered enough manpower to raid the place he was heading to. Either way, it''d be more trouble than it was worth. He''d just have to make sure they were careful, and that he had enough mana for whatever they might face.

    "Sero," Amaya began quietly after a long silence. "I know that I don''t have the right to ask you to forgive me for what happened, but I need you to understand. I''m not just some girl you saved. I''m your friend. And what you did... it''s not who you are. It''s not who I know you to be." Her voice broke, and she forced herself to calm down. "I don''t want you to forget that. I don''t want you to become that person."

    Sero clutched at his stomach, remembering the pain and emotions he felt as Malice ripped out his guts. Images of his father and mother flashed through his mind, bringing up a wave of sadness. The rage he felt after hearing Casey was kidnapped, or when they were surrounded by the Culling members. All of his unstable emotions became suppressed as his Rationality took over, clearing his mind.

    "Sorry, Amaya," he replied quietly. "I''m not sure what changed about me, but I just know that I can''t... be the same person I was before the apocalypse anymore."

    She looked as if she wanted to say something, but couldn''t find the words to express herself. Finally, she just nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay," she said softly. "Let''s just... let''s just focus on getting Casey and the others back safely. We¡¯ll talk about that later."

    They pulled up to the secluded house, the night causing it to look much more eerie than it should. It was an old, two-story building that had been abandoned for years, but it now showed signs of recent activity. The front door hung off its hinges, and there were several footprints leading up to the house. Sero looked at Amaya, his expression grim. "You ready for this?"

    Amaya swallowed hard, her grip tightening on the steering wheel. "As ready as I''ll ever be," she replied, her voice trembling slightly. They climbed out of the car and quietly approached the house. Before they drew any closer, Sero sent out a quick text, putting his phone away in his Shadow Shift as he snapped his fingers, conjuring Moss and Lime. He casted a powerful Detect and ran his Perfect Analysis on the surroundings, trying to sense anything out of the ordinary.

    However, both Sero and his dragon pups came up with nothing, even as they approached the steps of the house. They exchanged glances before Sero nodded, indicating that they should enter. The inside of the house was dark and damp, the air thick with the scent of mold and dust. The floorboards creaked ominously beneath their feet as they cautiously moved through the house, glowing mana blades in hand. They searched every room, but found no sign of Casey or the others. As they moved deeper into the house, Sero felt a sense of foreboding growing stronger within him.

    After thoroughly searching the house, Moss and Lime came up to the pair, whining as if they were upset that they couldn''t find anything. Sero could feel his frustration growing by the minute as he walked back towards the entrance.

    "Sero... are you sure this is the right place?" Amaya asked him quietly, slipping her phone away as he joined her.

    "Yeah, I saw it within that Culling member''s memories," Sero scowled, his eyes darting around the place. "It''s definitely the right place. But there''s something else going on here... something I don''t understand."

    They walked out into the night, Sero feeling disheartened and confused. The memories he had seen within the Culling member showed the cultists using this house as a base of operations, but for some reason, it didn''t seem like anyone was here now. It was almost as if they had moved somewhere else, or had taken extra precautions to conceal their presence.

    "Do you think that the memories you saw were fake?" Amaya suggested, her voice trembling slightly. "Maybe they were altered or something."

    Sero clenched his jaw tightly, realizing that the Spellblade brought up a good point. He cursed to himself, angry that he hadn''t considered the possibility of the memories being altered. "It''s possible," he admitted, rubbing at his eyes. "But it''s also possible that they''re just really good at hiding their tracks. Or maybe they''ve moved to another location. We''ll just have to keep searching."

    "I expected you Ascendants to catch on, but I didn''t figure you were all this slow, nor did I expect to encounter just two of you," A new voice called out to the pair.

    Sero and Amaya whirled around, their weapons at the ready. Standing before them was a tall, cloaked figure with his hood thrown back. His face was gaunt and pale, his eyes sunken deep into their sockets. He had thinned black hair that was slicked back flat. He smiled wickedly, revealing a mouth full of jagged, yellowed teeth. "Ah, I see I have your attention now," he said, taking a step forward. In front of Sero, Moss and Lime leapt forward, growling at the stranger. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "I''ll give you one chance to tell me where the children are," Sero calmly threatened the man, pointing the tip of his blade at him. In the back of his mind, he wondered how he didn¡¯t notice the man¡¯s presence at all, but pushed it away as a morbid sense of relief washed over him. There was now someone he could vent his frustration out on, and hopefully get one step closer to finding Casey.

    The cloaked figure laughed, the sound cold and mocking. "Why, of course." He brandished an arm, conjuring a dark portal. Although his body buzzed with power, Sero was shocked to realize that even though the Culling member was using a skill to create a portal, he couldn''t copy it.

    From the portal, a small boy stumbled out, followed by a few more Culling members. They held a wicked obsidian knife to his throat, forcing him to walk forward. The boy was trembling with fear, his eyes wide with terror as he looked around desperately for any sign of escape. Behind them, the portal revealed several more children surrounded by cultists before it snapped shut.

    Both Sero and Amaya tensed, ready to fight, but the Culling member that conjured the portal held up a hand.

    "I wouldn''t do anything rash, now," the cloaked figure warned, his voice cold and menacing. "I have one of the children here, and if you make even the slightest wrong move, I''ll slit his throat, followed by the rest of whom I¡¯ve shown you."

    Sero''s heart skipped a beat as he saw the terrified boy being held hostage. "Let him go," he said through gritted teeth, "and we can talk." The Culling member chuckled darkly.

    "For someone with the Scholar class, you''re not very smart, are you?" the Culling member taunted, taking a step closer to the boy. "Everything you''ve done, we have orchestrated. From the moment you were aware of our existence, you have been a pawn to us."

    Sero felt a surge of anger rise within him at the man''s words, but he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was right.. "Let the boy go," he repeated, his voice steady. "We can still talk, and perhaps we can reach some sort of agreement."

    "Talk? No, Ascendant, you will not be talking," the Culling member snapped his fingers, causing his associate to press the obsidian blade harder on the boy''s neck. "We will drain your strength and your life in exchange for this boy''s freedom. A fair deal, no?"

    "How is that fair?" Amaya protested, preparing to strike. She glanced over at Sero, who suddenly slackened his grip on his blade. "Sero?"

    "Tell me," Sero whispered to the man. "Is Dr. Malek behind all of this?"

    "Grodley Malek is but a part of a greater force in this, Scholar," the man sneered. "This is one of his machinations, but our Savior is the one who leads us. Grodley merely adjusted his plans to include the demise of you, Scholar."

    "We¡­ fucking fell for it. I fell for it," Sero croaked, a look of defeat on his face.

    "W-what?" Amaya seemed nervous as she gripped her blade tighter. "Sero, what¡¯s going on?"

    Sero could feel himself reeling as he began to piece it all together. "I told Dr. Malek about my class, and I thought I sensed something weird during our talk. Then, all of this happened so quickly, and there was no apparent cause for it, right? The hospital where Casey was at gets attacked at the same time the Catastrophe candidate appears, and Dr. Malek vanishes without a trace. Then, Casey gets kidnapped during a massive outbreak that raises tensions to its peak. I bet he planned every moment so that I would be overwhelmed with everything to even realize it."

    Amaya looked shocked and betrayed. "What? Why would he do this?"

    "Malek is one of the Pillars of Culling, devoted to ensuring our success" the man before them sneered. "Alongside I, Thaddeus Yrie, we have decided that we need the Scholar''s abilities no matter what."

    "But... why?" Sero managed to choke out. "Why do you need the Scholar class?"

    "The Savior can make use of its unique abilities to copy and recall," Thaddeus spat. "We can create a codex of knowledge and power, distributing it to the worthy of the new world we wish to form. Invoking the Catastrophes will hasten the reckoning and leave a blank canvas for Culling to build anew."

    "Why are you telling us this?" Amaya brandished her blade, gathering mana within herself. "I''ve already called for help the moment we arrived here, and the alliance will be here any minute now."

    "Oh, I wouldn''t be too reliant on them," Thaddeus smirked. "I assume you two haven''t noticed the barrier over us yet."

    Indeed, as Sero and Amaya turned their attention away from the boy, they noticed a faint, sparkling black barrier that blended with the night and seemed to cover the area they were in. It didn¡¯t seem much, but it was enough to prevent anyone from entering or leaving without Thaddeus'' permission. "You see, we''ve been preparing for this moment. The Culling is always one step ahead."

    "Sero, I''ll distract the members while you try and rescue the boy¨C" Amaya stopped as she noticed that he had dispersed his blade and dragons. "What are you doing?"

    "They got us, Amaya," Sero replied quietly. "We fight back, they kill the boy and possibly Casey and the other children. We surrender, they use us as sacrifices and kill the children anyway."

    "Then what do we do?" she asked, her voice shaking.

    "Nothing, you foolish woman," Thaddeus cackled. "Not even the Scholar can find a way out of this, since I know he''s realized he can''t even copy our skills."

    "How?" Sero asked, feeling an overwhelming wave of despair and helplessness.

    Thaddeus raised an arm, revealing a small black tattoo on his wrist. "This tattoo is a symbol of our master''s power. It''s a piece of the banished gods. Even if the Scholar were to copy this, he would find it impossible to replicate, since you are blessed by the opposite force. It would simply cause you to implode from the clashing polarities."

    Sero felt a chill run down his spine as he realized the hopelessness of their situation. The other Culling members stepped forward, wicked blades of black energy crackling in their hands. Sero cursed himself for letting his emotions blind him. Faced with this impossible situation, there was nothing he could come up with unless he was willing to sacrifice innocent lives. At least he and Amaya had sent for help. The only problem was if they would survive long enough for it to arrive.

    Despite every fiber of his being telling him to fight back, Sero decided to surrender instead, hoping that whoever he and Amaya had sent for would come in time.

    "Now then," Thaddeus drawled, "let''s get started."

 Chapter 82: The Paradox

    Before she could react, Sero pushed Amaya out of the way as the cultists swarmed them. However, it didn''t seem like they were interested in her as they thrust their black energy blades into Sero''s body.

    Amaya could only watch in horror as Sero screamed with pain, the Culling members piercing his body over and over again. His blood stained the ground, mixing with the tears that streamed down her own face. She wished she could do something, anything, but there was nothing she could do. The same despair she felt when she watched Malice gut Sero threatened to overwhelm her, and she fought against it with every ounce of strength she had left.

    Finally, the Culling members stopped their torture, stepping back as Sero fell to his knees, bleeding profusely from the gashes all across his body. His mana aura had dwindled dangerously low, and Amaya could tell he was on the verge of death again.

    Thaddeus chuckled, walking up to the Scholar with a sneer. He pulled out a small, obsidian stone sickle from within his cloak.

    "And now," he hissed, "for the coup de grace." He raised the weapon high, preparing to bring it down upon Sero''s neck. "We thank the Scholar for his sacrifice. Let his death stain this blade to give us the powers he possesses."

    Without a second thought, Amaya surged forward to take the hit, her body flying through the air as the obsidian blade came down toward them. She winced in pain as it struck her shoulder, but she didn''t let it stop her. Her eyes blazed with determination and fury as she landed on her feet, clutching her injured shoulder. The blade had drained a tiny portion of her energy, as if it needed its prey to be as weakened as Sero was for it to do whatever it was it could do.

    "Insolent bitch!" Thaddeus roared, his eyes narrowing. "How dare you interfere with the will of the Culling!" He raised his arms, intending to unleash a wave of dark energy, but Amaya was quick to react. She dashed forward, slipping behind him, and planting her sword against his neck.

    "I am no bitch," she hissed, her voice cold and determined. "And I will not allow you to kill him or anyone else." With a swift motion, she pushed the sword harder against his throat, making it clear that she meant business.

    Thaddeus simply cackled, as if Amaya''s actions were amusing to him. "You think you can bargain in this situation? Don''t forget, I can very easily kill the children with one command."

    Amaya''s expression twisted in anger, but she didn''t let it show. She kept the sword firm against his throat, her body tense and ready to strike if he made any sudden moves. "I know," she growled, "but I''m willing to take that risk. Now, let''s make a deal."

    "Amaya... it''s ok..." Sero croaked hoarsely as his eyes became unfocused. "Stop what you''re doing."

    Amaya closed her eyes, fighting back tears as she felt the weight of her decision. With a deep breath, she opened her eyes and pressed the blade of her sword harder against Thaddeus''s neck. "Let them go, Thaddeus. Let them all go, and you can have me."

    "Amaya... no..."

    "Why would we ever want you?" Thaddeus scoffed. "We only need the Scholar. Besides, I think I¡¯ve let you go on for long enough."

    Before Amaya could react, Thaddeus snapped his fingers, emitting a black electrical aura that zapped her, sending her flying back a few steps. The Culling members closed in, surrounding her, their black blades ready to strike if she made any moves to attack again. Amaya struggled to stand, her body numb from the shock.

    "Pathetic," Thaddeus sneered. "I had hoped for more resistance from you. It seems you truly are nothing but a foolish child, willing to throw your life away for a man who will soon be dead." He gestured to the Culling members, and they advanced on Sero, gripping his arms and holding him in place.

    Amaya desperately willed her body to move, but it felt like every muscle was on fire. She managed to push herself up onto her hands and knees, her sword clattering to the ground as she did so. She couldn''t let them hurt Sero anymore. She had to do something.

    "Sero, why aren''t you doing anything?" Amaya screamed, her voice hoarse from the effort. "You''re the one who always finds a way out of things! You always pull through!" She struggled to stand, her muscles burning with the effort. "Sero, please..."

    "Amaya...." Sero''s voice was barely audible, his eyes heavy. "How much... do you believe?"

    "I believe in you, Sero," she gasped, her voice strained. "I believe that you can stop this."

    The Scholar smiled weakly. "I don''t... think I''m the one... you should believe in right now."

    Before Amaya could ask him what he meant, there was a shattering boom as the barrier above them collapsed, revealing the night sky. A figure plummeted through the darkness, landing gracefully on the ground beside them. The Culling members that surrounded Amaya and Sero quickly moved to protect Thaddeus, who seemed mildly surprised at the intrusion.

    "Who. Hurt. My. Bookworm?" Kit''s words were clipped, each syllable precise and cold.

    "Ah, the Paradox," Thaddeus sneered, though he seemed slightly off-put. "But, it seems as if you''ve arrived a little too late."

    Without a word, Kit turned and knelt next to Sero, whose breathing was becoming labored. She pulled him into her arms, murmuring softly in his ear as a white aura glowed around them. The Scholar sighed painfully before he lost consciousness.

    "Amaya, please watch over Sero," Kit laid Sero gently on the ground as she stood up. "I''ll take care of Culling."

    "You can''t fight all of them alone, Kit!" Amaya protested as she ran to Sero''s side, pulling him into her arms. "Not while they have a hostage!"Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    "This boy?" Kit asked calmly, pointing to the child next to them who, mere moments ago, had been in the clutches of the Culling. The boy had a bewildered expression as he realized where he was. "I think he''s safe for now."

    Thaddeus''s smirk faltered, but only for a moment. "You are definitely strong," he muttered. "But you''re still outnumbered."

    "I wonder. Do numbers mean anything before a paradox?" Kit asked, a calm and deadly rage flickering in her glowing mismatched eyes.

    Without waiting for a reply, she took a step forward and vanished, reappearing behind one of the Culling members. With a snap, the surrounding Culling members disappeared without a trace, their shadows vanishing into nothingness. Thaddeus''s eyes widened in disbelief as he realized what had happened. "What... what sorcery is this?" he stammered.

    "Cat Paradox," Kit replied, her usual humorous answer now a deadly serious threat. The Culling members who had been standing close to her were nowhere to be seen, their very being having been erased from existence.

    Thaddeus recovered from his shock, a malicious smile blooming across his face. "No matter, Paradox. You may have prevented the Scholar''s death, but we have already claimed what we needed."

    He snapped his fingers, conjuring a portal behind him as the rest of the Culling members surged towards the group. However, in the blink of an eye, the portal snapped shut and all of the cultists save for Thaddeus disappeared.

    "What?"

    Thaddeus seemed shocked, snapping his fingers over and over to no avail. "How are you this powerful?" The Culling leader hissed at Kit. "We were told that the more people within your presence, the harder it would be for your skills to work!"

    Kit chuckled humorlessly, her mismatched eyes narrowing as they glowed white with power. "Oh, they were right about that," she replied, taking a step forward. "It does get harder with more people around. But, I hope you didn''t forget that the strength of one''s will is the deciding factor for my abilities. It helps that you guys don¡¯t expect it, either."

    As Kit spoke, the air around her shifted, her presence becoming almost palpable. Thaddeus paled, realizing that he had underestimated the Paradox. "No matter. Even if we did not factor encountering an S-rank elite here, our plans will still proceed."

    "Seems like you''re a talker," Kit replied, blinking out of existence to appear before him. "Good thing, because you''re going to tell me everything."

    "Those to be culled, have failed¨C"

    Thaddeus¡¯s eyes suddenly rolled back as he slumped to the ground, unconscious. Amaya shivered as she realized that Kit had forcefully knocked him out without any effort. She glanced down at Sero in her lap, who had his eyes closed and his breathing stable. His wounds, while still apparent, had stopped bleeding. It seemed as though staunching the blood was all Kit could manage for now.

    "He should be fine," Kit assured, her gaze lingering on Sero before returning to Amaya. "But we should probably get him some medical attention soon." The Paradox turned her attention to the crying boy. "What¡¯s your name, kid?"

    The boy sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve as he took in choking breaths. "T-Thomas."

    "Well, Thomas," Kit said gently, kneeling down to be at his eye level, "I¡¯m sorry for all the scary stuff that happened here. It won¡¯t happen to you again, I promise."

    The boy looked at her uncertainly, tears still clinging to his eyes. "What about¡­ that man?" he asked, his voice shaking as he pointed at Sero.

    Kit glanced at the unconscious Scholar, her expression softening further. "He''ll be fine too," she assured the boy. "He''s just hurt right now, but there are people who can help him get better. You''ll see."

    "Okay..." Thomas sniffed, wiping his nose again. Kit smiled warmly at the boy before turning back to Amaya.

    "I''m glad you texted me, Amaya. I''m also surprised that Sero didn''t notify anyone," the Paradox frowned at the Scholar, concern flickering in her eyes. "I would''ve thought my bookworm thought this out better. Or at least learned from his experience with Malice."

    "He¡¯s changed," Amaya shook her head. "I don''t know for sure, but Sero hasn''t been acting like himself..." She hesitated, cradling his head in her lap. "He¡¯s become so... cold and brutal."

    Kit nodded understandingly. "I can imagine. He must be going through a lot." The Paradox took a deep breath and stood up, looking around the clearing. "We should probably gather everyone and get out of here. The Culling might send someone after us."

    "Are you guys okay?" A new voice called out behind them. The trio turned to see Elizabeth, wearing what looked like futuristic white armor jogging up to them. Jack and Yelena were also with her; Jack had on silver armor with blue lights while Yelena was outfitted in black armor and red lights.

    Slim and sleek, Elizabeth''s armor was adorned with several intricate designs, each one glowing with a soft light. She had white, fingerless gloves, an ethereal white scarf that seemed to float around her neck, and a small diadem made of silver light that topped off her gear. Jack¡¯s armor was just as streamlined, though his gauntlets were clawed, and he had white fur for a collar. Yelana¡¯s armor was much bulkier, akin to a medieval knight¡¯s, with a dense chest plate embedded with a circular red jewel.

    "Elizabeth?" Amaya exclaimed, feeling a mixture of relief and surprise. "What are you doing here?"

    "Sero texted me that he was at a place where the children might''ve been held," Elizabeth replied, taking note of the unconscious Scholar in Amaya''s lap. "Is he... all right?"

    Kit bristled at Elizabeth''s words while Amaya felt an overwhelming sense of jealousy and anger as she realized Elizabeth was the one Sero contacted.

    "He''s... not doing too well," Amaya managed to choke out. "Kit came to our rescue. She managed to stop the bleeding, but... we should probably get him to a hospital."

    "Right," Elizabeth nodded, turning to Jack and Yelena. "You two, secure the area." She paused, noticing Thomas and the unconscious Thaddeus a few feet away. "I''m assuming that the man passed out there is a Culling member?"

    Amaya nodded. "Yes, he''s the one who attacked us."

    As Jack and Yelena zipped off to make sure the area was safe, Elizabeth pressed a finger to her ear, "A.R.E.S. Unit on site. Area under lockdown. No signs of hostility so far. One Culling member subdued, one injured, one hostage rescued." She turned back to Kit and Amaya. "The alliance is moving in to help sweep the area. We should take Thomas and Sero to safety, and bring in the Culling member for questioning."

    Kit nodded, looking a bit relieved. "That sounds like a good plan." She knelt down next to Thomas, gently taking his hand. "Are you ready to go with us, sweetie?" The boy nodded, still sniffling, his eyes wide with fear but determined not to show it.

    "Now for that Culling member¨C"

    Elizabeth''s words were cut off as a black portal opened up next to the unconscious Thaddeus. A familiar figure stepped out, causing Kit and Amaya to stiffen with shock.

    "Ah, this is a reunion I wish was under better circumstances."

    Dr. Malek smiled dryly as he stood next to Thaddeus. Kit seemed bewildered at the sight of the doctor, but Amaya felt a surge of blinding rage within her.

    "You!" she shouted, tears streaming down her face. "How could you do this?"

    Dr. Malek sighed, looking genuinely apologetic. "Amaya, I... I wish I could explain properly. But for now, there are things that need to be done. I only hope that you aren''t caught up any more in this than you already have."

 Chapter 83: Doctors Orders

    "He''s... you''re part of Culling?" Kit asked incredulously, her mismatched eyes beginning to spark with hurt.

    "I am. And I sincerely apologize for the pain my associate here has caused," Dr. Malek replied, bending down to pick up Thaddeus. "However, I was not expecting Sero to get this far. He''s clever when he puts his mind to it, although it seems he wasn''t fully prepared."

    "Sero... he trusted you!" Amaya sobbed, her voice breaking as she clutched at the Scholar''s head. "He trusted you, and you betrayed him!"

    Dr. Malek chuckled humorlessly as he prepared to walk into the portal. "I betrayed Sero? If anything, I believe it was the world who betrayed him, sending him through so much pain."

    "That doesn''t make any sense," Kit growled, her eyes glowing white. "And it seems like I''m going to have to take you in as well."

    "I''m well aware of your abilities, Kit," Dr. Malek glanced over his shoulder. "But even with the concept of a paradox, are you able to deal with a dilemma?"

    "What?" Kit began to ask what the doctor meant but then his eyes glowed black with power.

    "I don''t... feel too good..." Thomas suddenly gasped, doubling over in pain. The three women turned to the boy in shock, watching as a black aura began to envelop him.

    Dr. Malek''s eyes softened with a sad but determined look. "Kit, I''m afraid you won''t be able to take me in after all. I suggest you focus on the boy, who''s ready to explode from the mana bomb I implanted in him."

    "Wait!" Before Kit could use her Cat Paradox, Dr. Malek had slipped through the portal, leaving the three to deal with Thomas''s situation.

    Elizabeth dashed over, her hands glowing with what seemed like white synthetic mana. "I can help contain the mana bomb, but we need to move fast!" She held her palms out towards Thomas, and a protective barrier of mana appeared around him. "Kit, can you help me?"

    Kit nodded, her eyes still wide with shock and anger. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, then placed her hand on the barrier of mana. "Alright, I''ve got it. We all believe that Thomas is okay, right?"

    Amaya and Elizabeth nodded, but the boy didn''t seem convinced as the black aura grew denser.

    "Help me!" Thomas cried out as the pain grew more intense, his body beginning to convulse violently. "I can''t... breathe..." Kit and Elizabeth struggled to keep the mana bomb contained, but it was becoming increasingly difficult as Thomas''s body began to tear itself apart from the inside. Amaya leapt to her feet to help, her mana adding to the barrier.

    "Thomas, just believe! You''re okay!" Kit shouted as she fought to keep the mana bomb contained. But it was no use; the pain in Thomas''s voice grew more desperate, his body convulsing harder and harder. "Fuck, my will can''t overpower his!"

    Elizabeth was forced to let go of the barrier, her hands burning with the effort. "Kit, I''m sorry, I can''t hold it any longer!" she gasped, her eyes wide with fear.

    "No!" Amaya shouted, watching as the black aura ripped Thomas''s body apart within the barrier.

    It was over in seconds, as if time itself had slowed down to witness the horror of Thomas''s death. Kit felt like she was drowning in a sea of despair, her lungs burning from the effort to keep him alive. Amaya was sobbing uncontrollably, her body shaking with the force of her grief. And even Elizabeth, who had been trained to face such situations with calm detachment, couldn''t help but be affected by the loss.

    With a sickening squish, Thomas''s body exploded inside the barrier then was quickly sucked into the black aura which imploded on itself and disappeared. Only a charred black spot on the ground remained as the barrier faded away.

    Elizabeth crumpled to her knees, her hands still glowing with mana as she fought to control her tears. Amaya collapsed, her body racked with sobs as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. Kit stood there, her mismatched eyes glazed over, her chest heaving as she struggled to breathe.

    "What... the fuck..." Kit swore quietly for the second time. "Why didn''t... my Cat Paradox work?"

    "Empress, the area has been secured- Damn, what happened?!" Jack exclaimed as he and Yelena caught up with the group, looking horrified at the scene before them. "Y''all alright?"

    "No, we''re not all right!" Amaya yelled, still sobbing uncontrollably. "Casey''s gone, Sero''s barely hanging on, and Thomas is dead because of that bastard Dr. Malek!"

    Elizabeth shook her head, trying to clear it of the haze of grief. "We... we need to regroup and figure out what to do."

    "Our radars picked up help coming this way," Jack confirmed to Elizabeth. "ETA is 5 minutes. We''ll be on standby for your orders, Empress."

    Elizabeth nodded, standing up as she composed herself. "Thank you, Jack. We need to prepare for whatever comes next. Kit, Amaya, please help me tend to Sero."

    <hr>

    Sero awoke the next morning in the association infirmary, disoriented and in pain. He blinked, trying to get his bearings straight as his memories came flooding back. He let out a soft groan and grimaced as he recalled being stabbed by the Culling members. The last thing that came to him was seeing Kit dropping down.

    Slowly, he realized his right hand was being held by something soft and warm. As he turned, he found Amaya sleeping next to his bed, her head resting on his leg. Both of her hands grasped his tightly, as if afraid of letting go.

    "Amaya?" he whispered.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled weakly. "Hey, Sero. You''re awake."

    Sero looked down at her, feeling a pang of guilt. "I''m sorry if I worried you, Amaya. You didn''t have to stay."

    "Of course I do," the Spellblade replied, sitting up. Sero noticed that she continued to hold his hand in hers. "You''ve been getting in near-death situations with or without me there, so now I have to make sure you don''t ever do that again."

    She gave him a weak smile, then looked away, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Besides, I couldn''t leave you alone. I mean, I know we... we don''t really see eye to eye on some things, but you''re still my friend, right?"

    Sero''s heart ached at the uncertainty in her voice. He squeezed her hand gently and smiled reassuringly. "Of course I am, Amaya. I''ve always considered you a friend, no matter what." He paused, thinking of what he wanted to say next. "And I... I want you to know that I''m really sorry. It''s my fault this happened. If I''d been stronger, if I''d been faster..." His voice trailed off, his guilt overwhelming him.

    She shook her head, brushing away his apology. "You can''t think like that, Sero. You did what you could. That''s all that matters." Her voice wavered slightly, but she held herself together. "Besides, we''re here now. We''ll get through this together."

    Sero smiled weakly, feeling a surge of gratitude for her understanding. "Thanks, Amaya." He paused, looking around the infirmary. "Where''s Kit?"

    Amaya glanced away, unable to meet Sero''s eyes. "She''s in an emergency meeting with the alliance. Sero... what''s the last thing you remember?"

    "Huh?" Sero blinked. "I guess... Kit coming to rescue us. Why?"

    The Spellblade took a deep breath before informing Sero of everything that had happened after, from Kit''s dominating rage, the arrival of the A.R.E.S. Unit, Dr. Malek''s return, and finally, Thomas''s demise.

    Sero listened with growing horror and rage, unable to believe what had transpired. He felt a knot forming in his stomach as he realized that their fight against Culling had just become so much more personal. "So what happens now?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He struggled to hold back the hurt and fury after the confirmation of Dr. Malek''s betrayal.

    Amaya sighed, her grip on his hand tightening. "We prepare for whatever comes next. The alliance will need to decide what to do about Dr. Malek. And we''ll have to find a way to protect ourselves from Culling, now that they know we''re onto them."

    Sero fell silent for a moment, digesting the information. He let out a slow breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts. "I''m going to need some time to process all of this," he said finally.

    Amaya nodded in understanding. "Take all the time you need." She squeezed his hand reassuringly.

    Sero turned his head to look out the window, watching the clouds drift by. The world seemed to have shifted on its axis, and he was struggling to find his footing. He thought about his father''s death, Casey''s kidnapping, Dr. Malek''s betrayal, and both his near-death experiences. Each event was like a punch to the gut, leaving him reeling.

    "If you don''t mind... Sero, I want to talk about what happened before. With the... brutal way you dealt with the Culling members," Amaya started, hesitantly. "I mean, it''s not that I''m judging you. I understand why you did it. But I think... maybe there was another way. Maybe we could have stopped them without resorting to..." She trailed off, searching for the right words.

    Sero turned his head to look at her, a weight settling heavily in his chest. He knew what she was trying to say. He understood that his actions had been brutal, savage even. But he couldn''t help but feel that he had no choice. They had taken everything from him, and he refused to let them continue to hurt others.

    "You know what I''m scared of the most?" Sero asked her quietly. "That even though it seems wrong, I don''t feel any guilt or remorse. Logically, it makes sense to me that people who do these things need to be stopped, for good."

    He paused, swallowing thickly. "But what if that part of me is just as twisted as they are? What if I''m no better than them? Because honestly, Amaya... I don''t know if I could have done anything else. Had I known that Thomas was going to die regardless... I might have just killed them all."

    Amaya squeezed his hand again, her grip reassuring. "I don''t think that''s true. You''re not like them. You didn''t enjoy what you did. You were just trying to protect yourself and the people you care about."

    She paused, considering her words carefully. "I know it''s hard to believe right now, but there are ways to stop people like that without becoming them. There are ways to make sure they never hurt anyone again without losing a part of yourself in the process."

    Sero looked away, his eyes unfocused as he tried to process her words. "I wish I could believe that," he said softly. "But I''ve seen too much. I''ve lost too much."

    Amaya leaned closer, resting her head against his shoulder. Her weight was comforting, and for a moment, Sero let himself feel some of the tension ease from his body. They didn''t speak for a while, just sitting there together in silence.

    Behind them, someone cleared their throat. Sero and Amaya looked up to see Elizabeth standing in the doorway, her expression grave. "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to brief you two on the decisions of the alliance''s meeting," she said.

    Sero sat up straighter, pulling his hand away from Amaya''s grasp. He felt a slight guilt as he caught a hint of disappointment in her eyes, but he knew they needed to focus on the task at hand. "Sure, what''s up?"

    <hr>

    Elizabeth gave them a quick run-down of the meeting, which ended with an increased patrol of the 25th Zone, enforced curfews, and the promise of more resources to track down the missing children. As she spoke, Sero felt a gnawing sense of responsibility in his gut. He knew that he needed to step up, to make sure that everyone stayed safe and that Casey and the other children were brought home. But he also couldn''t help but feel like he was in over his head.

    Amaya sat up straighter, her eyes focused intently on Elizabeth. "What about the Culling?" she asked, her voice quiet but steady. "They''re still out there, and they''re not going to stop just because we''ve increased patrols. We need a plan to take them down for good."

    Elizabeth shook her head. "We know very well of the threat that Culling poses not just in the 25th Zone, but nationwide. However, since we can''t track them down directly, this is all we can do for now."

    Sero frowned. "What about the Culling prisoners we have? Can''t we use them to get more information?"

    "We''ve exhausted them already," Elizabeth answered with a sigh. "Even after resorting to... unconventional methods, there isn''t anything else we can get out of them besides what we know already."

    Sero scowled. "Well, they deserve worse. They''re monsters."

    Elizabeth and Amaya glanced at him, their expressions sympathetic yet unyielding. "It''s not that simple," Elizabeth said, her voice gentle. "Even if they are monsters, we can''t take the law into our own hands. The alliance has to decide how to proceed, and until then, we have to follow their lead."

    "The Ascendants Association and Pentagram I understand, but you''re telling me that the Janitors are willing to let these people get away with what they''ve done?" Sero asked incredulously.

    "Gregor did express his displeasure, but he was willing to lower his head in order to cooperate with the other two powers," Elizabeth quietly explained. "We cannot afford to have any more bloodshed."

    Sero nodded reluctantly, understanding the necessity of their situation. But it didn''t make it any easier for him to swallow. "So, what can we do now?" he asked, determined to focus on the task at hand.

    "You, Sero, need to rest. Dante casted a vote to decide what to do about your reckless behavior in trying to chase after Culling. The Pentagram and the leaders of the Ascendants Association have agreed that... you need to be sidelined from this operation," Elizabeth avoided his gaze.

 Chapter 84: Stubbornness is a Strength

    "What?" Sero''s eyes widened in shock. "But I''m the one who found the hideout! I''m the one who knows what we''re up against! I can help!"

    "You''re also the one who fell for their traps, and almost died twice," Elizabeth gently replied. "Sero, you''re an integral part of this, but you''re also the one who''s too close and too reckless."

    "Well, the Pentagram and the association can fuck off," Sero muttered under his breath, feeling a surge of anger and frustration that was quickly tamed by his Rationality. "I assume you and the Janitors were forced to agree?"

    Elizabeth folded her arms and glanced down, crossing her leg over the other. "We did, but... we also feel the same. Even Kit had to agree that having you involved is too dangerous for you."

    Sero felt a hot flush creep up his neck. He wasn''t expecting Kit to also fall in line with the alliance''s decision. "Fine," he grumbled. "What do you want me to do, then? Sit around and twiddle my thumbs while everyone else does all the work?"

    Elizabeth''s eyes softened. "No, Sero. I want you to take some time for yourself. You need to recharge your batteries, both physically and emotionally. Like I said before, do something you never had the chance to. And when you''re ready, I''m sure there will be something else you can do to help."

    "She''s right," Amaya quietly interjected. "You''ve been through a lot, and you need to take care of yourself." She glanced over at Elizabeth, silently asking if they could trust him to stay out of trouble until then.

    Sero sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Fine. I''ll... I''ll just go to my penthouse and think about what I can do to help."

    "Good. We''ll be in touch," Elizabeth assured him, her expression sympathetic. "Take your time, and remember to eat and sleep well."

    She left, leaving Amaya and Sero alone once again. Amaya studied Sero carefully for a moment before speaking. "You know, Sero, you''ve got a lot of people worried about you. Even though you think you''re just being...you, they see someone who''s been through a lot and isn''t dealing with it well. They see someone who''s reckless, maybe even suicidal."

    Sero didn''t reply, feeling a stab of pain at their words. He felt like he was drowning, like he was being pulled in a hundred different directions at once. He wanted to help, to make things right, but he didn''t know how. And now, with everyone telling him to step back and let them handle it... it was like a slap in the face. The one time he wanted to change, to do something not for his own benefit, and they were all against him.

    "I just... can you give me some time alone?" Sero asked, his voice barely audible.

    Amaya nodded, understanding the need for a bit of space. "Of course. Take as much time as you need. We''re all here for you, Sero. We care about you." She hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do you want me to stay with you later or...?"

    "No," Sero shook his head. "I think... I think I''d just like to be alone for a while." He forced a small smile. "I appreciate it, Amaya. Thank you."

    Amaya nodded, her expression somber. "Okay. If you need anything, just call." She reluctantly stood up, and then paused, her hand on the doorknob. "And, Sero... take care of yourself. We can''t afford to lose you."

    Sero grunted in response as the liaison left the room. As soon as she left, he checked his body, finding it to be somewhat healed despite the battle. He didn''t feel like he''d regained his full strength, but it was a start. He stood up and stretched, then made his way over to the window, looking out at the city. The sun was high in the sky, bathing everything in a warm, golden light. It was deceptively peaceful, almost serene, and it was hard for Sero to believe that just a few hours ago, they''d been fighting for their lives.

    Emulating Lawbreak, Sero casted Cat Paradox, returning to his empty penthouse. He flopped onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying to decide what to do with himself. He had been itching to help, to make a difference, but now that he was being sidelined, he felt useless and angry. He thought about going out, maybe causing some trouble, just to prove that he could still be useful, but he knew that wasn''t the best idea.

    "Champion?"

    Aphiel''s projection appeared next to his bed. The goddess had a solemn look in her eyes as she glanced down at him.

    "What?" Sero muttered. "You gonna say that they''re right to take me out of this?"

    Aphiel shook her head. "No, champion. I am not going to say that. I know how much you care, how much you want to help. But you have to understand that they are worried about you. They need you to be at your best if things get worse. And they will get worse."

    She sat on the edge of his bed. "I have seen you nearly die again, and I cannot help but think that you might be pushing yourself too hard. You have to take care of yourself, too, champion. You cannot be everything to everyone."

    Sero looked away, his throat tight. "I know, Aphiel. But it''s just... I hate doing nothing. I keep feeling all these emotions, but they get pushed down by my Rationality. Sometimes I want them to, sometimes I don''t. And all this shit I had to go through, all these people I''ve lost... "

    He trailed off, unable to continue. He felt raw, exposed, like he was on the verge of falling apart. The goddess placed a hand on his shoulder, offering what little comfort she could.

    "If only I could just find out where they''re keeping the missing children," Sero sighed to himself. "Then at least I could feel like I did something."

    "Well..." Aphiel began, her tone thoughtful. "I did sense a strange energy at the place where you were gravely injured. At the house."Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Sero sat up, his interest piqued. "You think they might be there? But Amaya and I already checked, there was nothing out of the ordinary until we got ambushed."

    "I know," Aphiel said, her expression solemn. "But I sense that there might be something else, something hidden. Perhaps there is a way to search for it without putting yourself in danger. I can try to sense it again, see if I can narrow down the location. You would have to go back there for me to do that, but you could stay in the background, just out of sight."

    Sero hopped out of bed, wincing as his body protested the movement. "Okay, let''s do it."

    "Wait, right now?" The goddess asked, noting the way he winced. "I mean, you could rest some more, and we could try again later, if you need to."

    "Nah, the sooner the better," Sero stretched his body, emulating Lawbreak once again and imagining the abandoned house. "I''ll be careful this time."

    "Well, should you let someone know first?" Aphiel asked, raising an eyebrow. "If you plan to sneak around, someone should at least know where you are, just in case something happens."

    "Eh, I''ll be fine," Sero replied with a dry grin. "I''ll just leave a quick note, and then I''ll be off." He went to the desk by the window and scribbled a quick note explaining where he was going and why. He didn''t want anyone to worry, but he also didn''t want anyone to try to stop him.

    <hr>

    With the note left, Sero teleported back to the two-story abandoned house, his senses honed and his emotions carefully tamped down. He conjured two Jacks to keep a watch out for danger, keeping tabs on his mana reserves. As he scouted the area, he didn''t notice anything out of the ordinary.

    "Aphiel, you sense anything?" Sero thought to the goddess.

    "Not yet, champion," Aphiel replied after a moment. "But I am still trying. There is definitely something here, something off... I will let you know when I find it."

    Time passed slowly as Sero continued his search, growing more frustrated with each passing moment. He had summoned Moss and Lime to help, the dragon pups sniffing around the area with their keen senses, but they didn''t seem to find anything out of the ordinary either.

    "Aphiel?" Sero whispered, his voice straining to be heard even by his own ears. "Is it possible that they''re not here? That whatever you sensed was just a fluke?"

    There was a moment of silence before the goddess replied, her tone soft and reassuring. "No, champion. Whatever it is that I sensed, it is still here. I can feel it, lurking out of reach. It is just... hidden."

    Sero nodded, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves. "Okay, let''s keep looking. We''ll find it eventually." He turned to Moss and Lime, speaking in low whispers. "Keep sniffing, girls. I know you can do it."

    The dragon pups chirped in agreement, their eyes bright with determination. They continued to sniff around the area, their noses twitching as they shuffled around.

    After about an hour, Sero was on the verge of giving up, sitting on the steps of the abandoned house as Moss and Lime whined near his feet. He was about to suggest to Aphiel that they should try again later when the dragon pups let out a yelp and darted behind the house. "What is it?" Sero demanded, scrambling to his feet and following them. "What did you find?"

    The dragon pups circled a small, overgrown tree, their tails thrashing with excitement. As Sero approached, he saw a small, shimmering object hanging from one of the branches. It looked like a pendant of some sort, made of what appeared to be polished black obsidian. The pendant seemed to pulsate with an unnatural energy, drawing his attention like a moth to a flame.

    "The fuck?" Sero muttered, reaching up to grab the pendant. "I didn''t sense this before."

    "Champion, don''t grab it!"

    "Whoops," Sero jerked his hand back in time. "Why, what''s wrong, Aphiel?"

    "It is... not natural," the goddess replied, her voice tense. "It feels... tainted, corrupted. I cannot say for certain, but I believe it may be linked to whatever force I sensed before. Do not touch it, champion. We must find a way to dispose of it safely."

    Sero frowned, his hand still hovering near the pendant. "But if it''s important, shouldn''t we take it back or something?"

    "I would rather not risk the consequences should you touch it," Aphiel warned. "It is best to err on the side of caution. As for what to do with it, I will need some time to study it. In the meantime, I suggest letting the others know of this."

    "Right," Sero drew his hand away as he studied the pendant closer. "But still, how did we not sense this till now?"

    "I cannot say for certain, champion," Aphiel replied thoughtfully. "Perhaps it was hidden well, or perhaps it only recently became active. Regardless, it is best we proceed carefully."

    "Sounds like a plan," Sero pulled his phone out, debating on who to tell. "Guess I''ll head back then."

    "That also sounds like a plan," A voice called out behind him. Sero turned, finding Elizabeth in her A.R.E.S. suit behind him.

    "Oh. You look really good in that," Sero blurted without thinking.

    "Um, thank you?" Elizabeth replied, looking slightly confused. She shook her head, composing herself. "No, what are you doing out here? I thought I told you to rest and stay out of this for the moment."

    "I-" Sero frowned. "How''d you find me here so quickly? Even if you noticed I was missing from the association infirmary, it''d still take a while to get to my penthouse and find the note I left, then to come here."

    Elizabeth smiled wryly, bringing up a gloved hand and wiggling her fingers. Sero gasped lightly as he felt something small rip itself off his clothes and flying towards her.

    "You remember me saying that I hold the A.R.E.S. unit Empress? Yeah, this suit is designed for tactical operations, such as surveillance and command." Elizabeth explained, her voice calm and authoritative. "The Empress allows me to construct robotic summons as an extension of my eyes and ears, which is what this tiny little robot was doing for me." She gestured at the flying machine, which was hovering near her face.

    "You... planted a tracking device on me?" Sero asked incredulously. "And you didn''t tell me?"

    Elizabeth gave him a sheepish smile, causing dimples to appear in her cheeks. "Well, I''m good at reading people after all. And seeing how much trouble you got yourself into recently, I felt as if it wouldn''t stop with you being taken out of things."

    "And now that you''re here, what do you want me to do?" Sero asked, glancing back at the pendant. "You''re gonna tell me to stop? Monitor everything I do?"

    "No," Elizabeth shook her head. "I''m actually here to help. We might not be very close, but I feel like you''re too stubborn to do as you''re told. So, might as well stick with you, right?"

 Chapter 85: A New Study Partner

    Sero couldn''t help but feel a small smile tug at the corner of his lips after hearing her words. A surge of gratitude washed over him at how Elizabeth seemed to understand him. "Yeah, I guess." He paused for a moment, then gestured at the pendant. "So, what do we do with this thing?"

    "What is it?" Elizabeth asked, stepping closer to him and leaning forward to glance at the pendant. Sero became acutely aware of how sweet her dark violet hair smelled, taking note of the curious gleam in her honey brown eyes.

    "Uh... something I found. My Sponsor... she said it was something tainted and corrupted. And we shouldn''t... uh, touch it," Sero stammered, feeling a bit awkward. He sensed Aphiel¡¯s presence quietly slipping away. Whether it was to give him privacy between him and Elizabeth, or the goddess was jumping right into figuring out what the pendant was, Sero didn¡¯t think much of it.

    "Have you told the others yet?" Elizabeth turned to him, their faces uncomfortably close as their eyes met.

    "No, not yet," Sero admitted, feeling his cheeks heat up. "I was about to text Kit when I ran into you."

    "Hmm," Elizabeth stepped away, tapping her chin with a gloved finger. "Maybe it''s better that I tell them, so that they don''t realize you''re not staying out of things."

    "Y-yeah, that''s smart," Sero agreed. "Thanks, Liz. You''re, uh, really good at this."

    "Liz?" Elizabeth flicked her gaze back toward him, amused. "You into nicknames?"

    "Um, not really," Sero said, feeling himself blush. "I-I mean, it''s not like I''m into nicknames or anything. I don''t- I don''t know what I''m saying."

    Elizabeth laughed, covering her mouth with a hand. "It''s fine. I know you weren''t expecting me to be on board with you, so I get that you might be confused. But anyways, you can call me Liz if you want."

    "Thanks. Liz," Sero added hesitantly. It was slightly funny to know that Elizabeth was unaware that she was the root cause of his blushing. He cleared his throat, trying to get back to the task at hand. "So, what do we do now?"

    "Well, since your Sponsor said it was dangerous to touch, I think we just let the others know for now, and lock down this place so we can figure out what this thing is." Elizabeth suggested, her voice calm and confident. "I flew out as soon as your location informed me that you left the infirmary, so we''ll either have to walk back, or wait for someone to pick us up."

    "Your suit can fly?" Sero asked, his eyes gleaming excitedly. "Wait, you came out here alone?"

    "Don''t worry about it," Elizabeth said dismissively, waving her hand. "I''ve been in worse situations before. Now, shall we find somewhere to sit and wait for the others?"

    "I''ve got a better idea," Sero smirked. "Give me your hand and close your eyes."

    <hr>

    After successfully using his Cat Paradox on someone else for the first time, the both of them found themselves back in Sero''s penthouse.

    "Oh my- what just happened?" Elizabeth stumbled unsteadily, grasping at Sero for support. Her Empress suit had disappeared, revealing a deep purple blouse tucked into her jeans.

    "I teleported us back to my place," Sero chuckled softly, holding onto her. "Sorry, probably should''ve warned you, huh?"

    Elizabeth seemed to steady herself as she took in her surroundings.  "It''s... fine," she smiled weakly. "I''ve gone through worse."

    Sero helped her settle on the couch before venturing to his kitchen. "Want anything to drink?"

    "No, thank you," she said, watching him from where she sat. "I''m still a bit... unsettled." She paused, taking a deep breath. "I''ll need to inform the others about our discovery."

    "Sure," Sero walked back over with two bottles of water, plopping on the couch across from her. "I''ll stay here. For real, since you''ve agreed to work with me in secret."

    "Thank you," she nodded, accepting one of the waters. "In return, I won''t keep a tracker on you."

    "Well, after giving it some thought, I don''t mind that anymore," Sero shot back with a playful grin.

    Elizabeth arched an eyebrow. "You''re in a better mood after I''m allowing you to do things covertly, aren''t you?" she asked, her voice teasing.

    Sero grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "I''m just happy to have your trust, Liz." He took a sip of water, then set it down on a nearby table. "So, you''ll keep me updated, right? Even if you''re not keeping a tracker on me?"

    "Of course," she assured him. "I''ll make sure to keep you in the loop. Now, I suppose I should be going back. There''s still much to be done." She hesitated, then asked, "Will you be okay here alone?"

    Sero glanced around his restored penthouse, which felt as lonely as the day he moved in. He hadn''t realized how much he missed the company of Luna, Nala, and Casey. At least Luna and Nala were safe at Gregor''s home.

    "Yeah, I''ll be fine," Sero lied, trying to convince himself more than her. "It''s not like anything''s going to happen here. I''ll just... think about what we should do next." He forced a laugh, feeling a pit forming in his stomach.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    "How about I come back to keep you company after I finish what I need to do?" Elizabeth offered, her expression gentle and sincere. "I know it''s not the same, but it might help."

    Sero hesitated, surprised by the offer. He wanted to refuse, to appear fine and stable, but the truth was, he wanted her company. It would be nice to have someone to talk to. "Okay," he managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper. "I''d like that."

    Elizabeth smiled warmly, dimples prominent in her cheeks. "Alright, then. I''ll come back as soon as I can. Just give me a call when you need me." She rose from the couch and moved toward the door, pausing to look back at him. "Take care of yourself, Sero."

    "I will," he replied, feeling a weight lift from his chest. "Thank you."

    Elizabeth stepped out of the door, leaving Sero alone once again. He took a deep breath and walked over to the window, gazing out at the city below. The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in hues of red and orange. It was beautiful, but he couldn''t help but feel a sense of loss and emptiness. He missed his friends, his family. He missed his life before everything went to shit.

    <hr>

    The night had settled in by the time Elizabeth came back. A knock on his penthouse door caused Sero to hastily open it, his heart racing with hope. She smiled wearily at him, her eyes red from exhaustion. He stepped aside, letting her in, and closed the door behind her.

    "Guessing the work was rough," Sero said, gesturing for her to sit on the couch in the living room as he scuttled to the kitchen. "I made dinner, just in case you haven''t eaten."

    "That''s thoughtful of you," she said, sitting down and taking off her shoes. "Smells delicious." She watched as Sero busied himself in the kitchen, moving around the room with an ease that seemed almost effortless.

    "Yeah, I just decided I''d try my hand at cooking since I can''t really... do anything else right now."

    Elizabeth seemed deep in thought as Sero brought over the dishes he cooked. He had made a simple but delicious-smelling pasta with tomato sauce and basil. "Thank you," she said, smiling gratefully as he set the dishes on the coffee table in front of her. "This really is appreciated."

    "What do you want to drink?"

    Elizabeth thought for a moment before answering. "I''d love some wine, if you have any."

    "Sure. What kind?" Sero headed to the kitchen cabinets, emulating Lawbreak.

    "White would be great," she called after him. "Whatever you think is good."

    Sero returned with a bottle of white wine and two glasses, courtesy of Cat Paradox. Setting them on the coffee table beside her, he poured them both a generous amount. "Thanks," she said, taking a sip of her wine as he sat down beside her.

    They ate in silence for a while, savoring the food and the companionship. Sero couldn''t help but notice how relaxed she seemed, how easily she smiled. Just like the first night he''d met her, Elizabeth was... enchanting. He found himself wishing he could talk to her about something else, anything else, but the reality of their situation hung over them like a dark cloud.

    "Are you doing okay?" Elizabeth asked him quietly after a while, setting her glass down.

    "Yeah... I''m alright. Why?"

    "The others are worried about you. The Janitors, Kit, Luna, Nala, and even Amaya."

    Sero sipped his glass, avoiding Elizabeth''s gaze. "Are they saying anything?"

    "Just... Amaya had to tell us how you handled the Culling members at Dr. Malek''s practice."

    "Oh... yeah. I mean, I didn''t really have much choice, did I?" Sero said, feeling a bit uncomfortable. "They were going to hurt people."

    Elizabeth nodded, her expression softening. "I know. It''s just that... they''re worried about you, you know? You''ve been through so much, and now this. I haven''t known you long and even I think that brutality was out of character for you."

    Sero looked away, not sure what to say. He knew he had changed, but he didn''t want to admit it. Worse, admitting it would also prove that what Dante said was true, that people were right to fear him.

    "I''m just... tired of losing those I care about." Sero confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. He didn''t want to admit that he believed everything that happened to him was because he was complacent, that he only did the bare minimum and was now paying the price for it. Adopting a more ruthless approach had actually yielded results, like when he prevented a Culling member from opening an outbreak or keeping him and Amaya safe at Dr. Malek''s practice. Hell, if it wasn''t for his Dominate and Mind Search skills, Sero probably wouldn''t have been able to get this far.

    "Hey, I might not completely understand, but I get the gist of it. I know you''re feeling pretty... lost right now. While I don''t agree with your methods, I do have to admit I share your justifications." She took a sip of her wine before continuing. "I''m not here to tell you that it''s all going to be okay, because honestly, I don''t know if it will. I just know that it''s ignorant to think that we''d be able to get through all of this without making some... difficult choices."

    Elizabeth set her glass down and gazed at Sero. "I really shouldn''t be saying this, but I''m not going to tell you to stop doing what you''ve been doing because I have a feeling you won''t listen. But what I will say is that somewhere down the line I hope you don''t forget who you are, or who your friends are."

    Sero still couldn''t meet her eyes. "I... I won''t."

    Elizabeth reached out to grasp his hand, squeezing it comfortingly. In that moment, Sero knew it was wrong, but he found himself comparing Amaya''s comfort to Elizabeth''s, realizing that the latter was much more genuine.

    "Thanks," Sero muttered, gently slipping his hand away. While he was still certain of his feelings for Amaya, there was something about Elizabeth that made him feel... safe. Like she truly understood him on a level that Amaya never could. Of course, Elizabeth did say she was good at reading people.

    "Well, if you''re okay with it, how about we set aside this depressing talk and focus on something more... uplifting?" Elizabeth suggested with a small smile.

    "Like what?" Sero asked, raising an eyebrow. He felt relieved to be talking about something other than the constant threat of the Culling or their own dark thoughts.

    Elizabeth tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well, what else could we do indoors at night?"

    Sero considered her question. "There''s always a movie, or a board game...?"

    Elizabeth''s gaze drifted towards his flatscreen TV, then trailed down to the gaming device Nala had rented from the association. "Oh, you have the newest Series Z?"

    "Huh? Oh yeah, the association loaned that to me- well, technically to Nala, but I haven''t touched it. Why, do you play video games?"

    "Not to brag, but I''m the best," Elizabeth''s eyes flashed mischievously, dimples appearing on her cheeks as she smiled. "How about we play? Loser has to take a shot of whatever alcohol you have."

    Sero raised an eyebrow. "You sure? I''ve heard that some of those games are really hard." He paused, considering her offer. "But okay, why not? I think I got some liquor somewhere."

 Chapter 86: The Night Before

    As it turns out, Elizabeth was wickedly good at video games. She dominated Sero in every match they played, refusing to take a shot even when she''d won. Her quick reflexes and strategic thinking made it impossible for him to keep up. Eventually, Sero found himself intoxicated, but it seemed that Elizabeth had a strong sense of sportsmanship as she willingly drank enough to match him after they were done playing.

    "I can''t believe I lost to you," Sero laughed, shaking his head tipsily. "I feel like I shouldn''t have taken your offer when you first mentioned the loser taking a shot."

    Elizabeth waved away his concerns. "Don''t worry about it. It''s not like you were terrible. You''re just not as good as me." She grinned, taking another sip of her wine. A red flush began to bloom across her face. "Besides, I''ve always been a bit of a gamer. My brothers and I used to play all the time when we were kids."

    "You have brothers? I thought it was just you and your parents."

    "Oh, no, I have three older brothers. They''re all older by at least five years, so I was basically raised by them. They''re all good-looking, but I think I took after my dad in that respect," she said with a wink. "They''re all scattered now; one''s in the army, one''s a doctor, and the other''s a lawyer. They always tease me that I should''ve been a princess instead."

    "Well, they were kinda right; your A.R.E.S. Unit is named Empress, right?" Sero smirked.

    Elizabeth laughed, her cheeks flushing a deeper red. "I suppose they''d get a kick out of that." She paused, looking thoughtful. "Do you know, I never really felt like I belonged with them. They were always so... intense. Always training, always competing. It was like they lived to prove themselves to each other. I think that''s why I became so good at reading people; I had to learn how to navigate their games."

    She took another sip of her wine, her eyes distant as she remembered her past. "But here, with the A.R.E.S. Unit... it''s different. We''re not just soldiers, you know? We''re friends. We laugh, we cry, we celebrate together."

    "Oh... yeah, I get that." Maybe it was because of the alcohol or that he didn''t want his Rationality to activate, but whatever it was, Sero felt an overwhelming feeling of sadness thinking back to his own group of friends. The people he considered closest to were Amaya and Nala, with the former distancing herself from him while the latter was physically distant to keep Luna safe.

    He looked at Elizabeth and realized that she was looking at him. "What?" he asked, confused.

    "Something''s up with you," Elizabeth replied with a soft smile. "Your emotions are too easy to read, you know."

    Sero looked away, feeling a little embarrassed. "It''s nothing, really," he said dismissively. "I''m just thinking about...stuff."

    "If you want to talk about it, I''m here to listen. I won''t force you."

    "It''s nothing important. It''s just...you know how some people say they''re not good at anything?" Sero asked, not making eye contact. "Well, that''s me. I''m not good at anything. I''m not as strong as them, or as fast. I''m not as smart or as talented. I''m just sort of...mediocre at everything. And sometimes it''s hard to find your place when everyone else seems to have it all figured out."

    Elizabeth reached across the table and took his hand in hers. Her touch was surprisingly warm and comforting. "Sero, that''s not true. You have your own strengths and talents. You''re loyal, you''re brave, you''re compassionate. You''re a good friend. You''re here with us, aren''t you? You''ve found your place."

    He looked down at their hands, feeling a mixture of emotions. He wanted to believe her, but it was hard when he felt so lost. "I guess...," he murmured. "But sometimes it''s still hard."

    Elizabeth squeezed his hand gently. "I understand that. We all feel that way sometimes."

    Sero couldn''t help but stare at her for a moment. The way her dark violet hair fell over her shoulder, the way her honey brown eyes seemed to glow in the dim light of the penthouse, the way her soft hand felt in his own. It was the same feeling he felt after he and Amaya had cuddle together, and Sero wondered if the emotion he felt for Elizabeth was real.

    He tried to gently pull his hand away, but Elizabeth held on, her grip firm but not painful. Her face was flushed, her cheeks rosy. For a moment, Sero thought she might be about to say something more, but then she let go and sat back in her chair, looking away. The sudden release of her touch left him feeling a little cold.

    "Uh, so, tomorrow, the alliance is planning on sending some people to analyze the pendant that you found at the abandoned house," Elizabeth began, seemingly trying to change the subject. "They want to see if there''s any way to destroy it, or use it to track down Culling. I volunteered to go with them." She paused, looking at Sero. "I hope that''s okay. I mean, I didn''t want to leave you here alone, but I thought it would help out if I was there, so that I could inform you on what else we find."

    Sero nodded, still feeling a little awkward. "Yeah, that''s fine. I''ll be here. And thanks for volunteering to go with them."

    Elizabeth glanced at her phone, drunkenly swiping the screen to check the time. "Well... I think I need to go and get... some rest," she said, slurring a little.

    "No, yeah, you should go," Sero said, feeling a pang of loss. "I''ll be okay here. Just be careful tomorrow, okay?"

    "Thanks," Elizabeth stood up and immediately wobbled before falling back against Sero. "Oops."

    "Are you sure you''re okay to drive?"

    "Ah, I don''t know," Elizabeth closed her eyes. "I shouldn''t have taken all those shots at once."

    "Hey, if you need to, you can sleep in my spare room or my bed. I''d rather you not go anywhere drunk like this."This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Really?" Elizabeth''s eyes fluttered open, a faint smile on her lips. "You don''t mind?"

    "Of course not. I mean, when Luna was here, my penthouse didn''t seem so lonely. I''d have friends over pretty much every night, so..."

    Elizabeth giggled, her breath warm on his cheek. "I''ll take that as a compliment. Thanks, Sero. You''re... you''re a really good friend." She leaned in closer, her body pressing against his. He could feel the softness of her chest against his arm, the warmth of her breath on his neck. Her face was mere inches from his, her eyes shining with an intensity that made his heart race.

    For a moment, Sero was tempted to close the distance between them, to kiss her. But then he remembered Amaya and the promise they had made. He forced himself to pull back, to clear his mind of those thoughts. "You''re welcome," he said softly, guiding her toward the guest room. "Just... try to get some sleep, okay?"

    Elizabeth nodded, her face flushed. "Yeah... I''ll... try." She let him lead her to the guest room, her steps unsteady. Once they were inside, she collapsed onto the bed, still wearing her uniform from earlier. Sero gently tucked her into the bed, making sure she was comfortable before turning off the light and leaving her to sleep.

    As he closed the door and walked back to the living room, he couldn''t help but feel a pang of loss. He knew it was wrong to have these feelings for Elizabeth, but they seemed so real to him. He tried to tell himself that it was just the stress of everything they''d been through, the closeness they''d shared, but deep down, he wasn''t sure.

    "Ah, fuck," Sero muttered to himself, forcing his Rationality to activate. His mind cleared, sobering him up as he prepared to sleep. He clambered into his bed, pulling a blanket over him. He glanced at the clock, noting that it was past midnight. He wondered how long it would be before the nightmares started again.

    <hr>

    Elizabeth yawned as she arrived at the site of the pendant that Sero had found. Some of the alliance members were already there, including Amaya, Kit, Cassandra, Kaizo, and Ione. There were a couple of Ascendants from the Pentagram guilds that acted as guards, standing watch around the secured perimeter erected around the pendant.

    "Hey, Empress," Jack gave a wolfish grin as Elizabeth approached. "Didn''t hear back from you last night."

    Elizabeth rolled her eyes, a slight pounding in her head as she tried to shake off last night¡¯s haze. "Oh, shut up, Jack. I was busy having fun. Now, what do we have so far?"

    "The Empress herself, having fun?" Jack looked surprised. "Well, regarding the pendant you found, that man Kaizo''s been trying to use his skills to learn more about it. Cassandra and Kit are on standby and keeping the energy radiating off the pendant from leaking out."

    Elizabeth nodded, watching as the Ascendants from the Pentagram guilds worked to secure the area around the pendant. The morning was unbearably hot as she turned back to Jack. "Have you found anything strange around the area?"

    Jack made a face, summoning a blue circular device and placing it on his chest. In a flash of silver and blue, his armor quickly constructed around him. After he was finished, he tossed out a cerulean sphere that burst into blue light, digitally constructing a mechanical wolf.

    The robotic wolf was surprisingly lifelike, with a metallic sheen to its fur and glowing blue eyes. It barked once before trotting off, sniffing the area. Jack turned back to Elizabeth with a sheepish smile.

    "Checking around now," he said, nodding at the wolf. "Cerberus didn''t pick up anything the first time we arrived here, so I doubt we''ll have anything new."

    "His name is Cerberus?" Ione walked up to Elizabeth and Jack. "I thought your A.R.E.S. Unit was called Fenrir, right?"

    "It is," Jack hesitated before mumbling, "I''m not familiar with my mythology..."

    "Oh. Sorry." Ione offered an apologetic smile. "In any case, my ravens are also scouting the area and haven''t picked up anything yet." As if on cue, a large, midnight blue raven cawed as it landed on her shoulders, tilting its head curiously at the trio.

    Elizabeth nodded. "All right. Let''s keep an eye on the situation. If anything strange happens, let everyone know immediately."

    As they waited, Elizabeth glanced over at the pendant, feeling a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. It was unlike anything she''d ever seen before, with intricate runes and symbols etched into its surface. The energy it emitted was palpable, almost tangible, and she could sense that it was linked to something much larger and more powerful.

    "Hey," Amaya walked up to Elizabeth. "I was wondering... how''d you come across this pendant?"

    "It''s a long story," Elizabeth began, glancing over at the pendant. "But the short version is that I came back to check this place again after... what happened." She omitted the part where she only came to track down Sero.

    Amaya nodded, but Elizabeth could tell she had some doubts. She hoped that Amaya wouldn''t press the issue too much, but she didn''t want to be rude either. As they waited for any sign of movement from the pendant, Elizabeth found herself lost in thought, trying to remember everything that had happened in the past few days. She had seen a lot during her time in the A.R.E.S. Unit division, but this was quickly becoming one of the most baffling and important cases she''d ever been a part of.

    Elizabeth had her fair share of Culling and outbreak encounters, but the way Dr. Malek had seemed so imposing, so dominant of the situation last time she''d been here...it had been unsettling, to say the least. She summoned her Empress disk, fidgeting with it absentmindedly. The A.R.E.S. Units were strong in their own right, supposedly able to be on par with A-rank Ascendants, but after Elizabeth was unable to save Thomas from whatever it was Dr. Malek had done to the boy, she''d been on edge ever since.

    Elizabeth glanced at Amaya. Ascendants like her were powerful, and their Sponsors were literal gods. But to Elizabeth, she was just a human with a suit that couldn''t possibly compare. To her, the Ascendants were like gods. Their powers were unfathomable, and they could bring down entire cities with a wave of their hand.

    A shout from Kaizo broke her train of thought, drawing her attention back to the pendant. "It''s moving!" he exclaimed, holding his palms out and conjuring a golden net over the tree that held the pendant. "Lock down the site!"

    Cassandra moved quickly, summoning a dome of glass around Kaizo''s net while Kit''s eyes glowed white, reinforcing both structures. Amaya, Jack, Ione, and their respective A.R.E.S. Units and familiars formed a defensive perimeter around them. As they waited, the pendant''s glow intensified, casting eerie shadows across the ground.

    Elizabeth had already thrown on the Empress suit, waiting with baited breath for whatever was going to happen next. But strangely, nothing did as the pendant suddenly stopped glowing.

    "What happened?" she asked, confusion etching its way into her voice. "Did we miss it?"

    "I don''t think so," Ione replied. "My ravens didn''t pick anything up either. Maybe it was a false alarm."

    The pendant exploded with black energy, barely contained by the combined efforts of Cassandra, Kaizo, and Kit. The explosion rumbled over the rest of the group, causing them to stumble back from the force.

    "Everyone okay?" Kaizo called out, his voice shaking slightly.

    There were nods of confirmation all around, though a few of them looked shaken up. They quickly regained their composure, however, and reassembled into their defensive positions.

    "Well, that was anticlimactic," Jack muttered, sounding slightly disappointed. "I was hoping for a bit more action."

    As soon as he said that, there was another explosion in the distance. Everyone''s heads snapped in that direction as they saw a massive cloud of darkness, similar to the one the pendant they had contained gave off.

    "Probably shouldn''t have said anything, huh?" Jack muttered again.

 Chapter 87: Chain Reaction

    At the same time Elizabeth left his penthouse in the morning, Sero teleported over to Gregor''s home to visit Nala and Luna.

    Sero smiled to himself as he walked up to the door, seeing it fly open and the succubus greeting him warmly.

    "Hey, Sero! I was wondering when you''d be back," Luna said with a burp, holding a can of beer.

    "Well, I promised I''d visit," Sero frowned at the succubus. "The morning just started and you''re already drinking?"

    Luna shrugged and took another sip from her can. "Hey, I''m a succubus, remember? What''s the harm? Come on, come inside. Nala''s been asking about you." She leaned in and whispered, "She''s been feeling a little down, you know? Thinks you might cheer her up."

    "Really? About what?" Sero asked as he stepped inside. Nala was sitting on the couch, watching a movie as she munched on pancakes drenched in syrup and whipped cream. She glanced up, giving the slightest of smiles when she saw him.

    "Hi, Sero. Want some pancakes?"

    "Uh... no, I''m okay," Sero replied, his stomach churning as he could imagine just how sweet those pancakes would be. He shot Luna an accusing look. "Nala doesn''t look down at all."

    "Well, she''s not wrong," Nala said with a sigh, taking another bite of her pancakes. "I mean, it''s not that I''m unhappy or anything. It''s just... I miss the old days, you know?"

    Sero quietly took a seat on the couch next to Nala, Luna sitting in the chair next to them. "Yeah, I get what you mean. It was easier when all I had to worry about was winning some stupid tournament."

    The Shadereaper nodded in agreement. "Especially ordering dessert at your place or playing that gaming system I borrowed."

    "I agree," Luna chimed in. "Free food on demand and all the alcohol I could ever drink."

    "That was the life- Wait, that''s what you were bothered about?" Sero stared at Nala. "I thought you''d be sad about not seeing everyone else as often or having to always be on guard."

    "Oh yeah, that too." Nala paused, thinking for a moment. "It''s just... I''m no stranger to being alone, so that doesn''t really affect me as much, I guess."

    Sero nodded understandingly. "Well, if you ever want some company, you know where to find me. I mean, if I''m not busy with something else, that is."

    "Thanks, Sero," Nala said, patting him on the knee. "I appreciate it." She paused, glancing over at Luna, who had fallen asleep with her head back and her mouth open. "I''m sure she appreciates your company too."

    "Yeah, she really shows it," Sero replied dryly. "Hey, you know, maybe we should do something today. Get out of the house, go somewhere. Just the three of us."

    "That sounds nice," Nala said with a small smile. "I''ve been meaning to check out that new arcade down the street. Want to give it a try?"

    Luna snapped awake at Nala''s words. "The arcade that also doubles as a bar?"

    "Yes, that''s the one," Nala said, grinning. "And it''s all-you-can-eat, too."

    Sero felt himself salivating. "S-seems like it has something for everyone."

    "Ah, but it doesn''t open until the afternoon." Nala made a face.

    "That''s fine, we can just hang out around the area," Sero suggested, standing up. "Is there anything around we can do in the meantime-"

    An explosion in the distance cut off Sero''s words and caused the three to jump up and run to the window.

    "What was that?" Luna asked, her voice trembling slightly.

    In the direction of the Ascendants Association, they could see a swirling cloud of darkness spiraling upwards. The sky above it seemed to be torn asunder, revealing an unnatural void. A sense of foreboding filled the air as they watched, their hearts pounding.

    "That''s not good..." Sero muttered to himself. He turned to the two women, his expression hardening. "Nala, stay here with Luna. I''ll go check it out."

    Without waiting for a response, he dashed out of the house. As soon as he was out of sight, he teleported to the park near the association building.

    When he got his bearings, Sero was faced with a scene of utter devastation. The park had been torn apart, trees uprooted and scattered like matchsticks. Luckily, the association building was unharmed as Ascendants flooded out to engage in whatever was happening in the park.

    Sero caught sight of Dante and J''takk leading the charge towards the swirling darkness and ran to join them. The Sin Reaper''s eyes narrowed at him once he got close enough.

    "Dante, I can explain¨C"

    "I''m not stupid, Sero. I know you didn''t have anything to do with it this time," Dante said, waving away his explanation. "Just be ready for whatever might happen next. And follow. My. Orders."

    Without another word, Dante and J''takk charged forward, with Sero and the others following close behind. As they drew closer to the swirling darkness, Sero could feel a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. The air seemed to thicken and grow heavy, as if the very fabric of reality was being strained by whatever force lay within the vortex.

    "Report?" Dante barked at a woman who seemed to have been in charge of leading people to safety.

    "Multiple civilians injured, and unknown how many are dead," the woman reported grimly. "We''ve already got a triage set up, but we''re still assessing the situation. Apparently some witnesses say that there was a black pendant hanging off a tree and just blew up when some people tried to grab it."Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Dante shared a concerned look with J''takk. Sero opened his mouth to say something, but remembered that he and Elizabeth agreed to keep his discovery of the first pendant a secret.

    "All right, then," Dante growled. "J''takk and I will lead the defensive line. Sero, you stay out here and coordinate with the others. We don''t know what we''re walking into." His eyes glowed neon green as he plunged a hand into a green-ringed portal in his chest.

    Sero''s body buzzed as he copied the skill ''Rend'', a scythe weapon similar to Enzo''s Jury axe or Liam''s Order staff. However, Sero learned that the conditions to wield the Rend scythe involved having immense mental fortitude to fight against its influence and not being controlled by it.

    Dante''s scythe was made of an unearthly substance that seemed to shift and change shape with each movement, as if it was alive. The ethereal green blade was razor-sharp and glistened with an unnatural light. As he stepped forward, the ground beneath his feet seemed to ripple and distort, as if reality itself were bowing before him.

    "Keep that stick away from me, yeah?" J''takk said to Dante as her eyes glowed gray. "Not that it matters, ''cause I''m always lucky."

    Sero''s eyes widened in surprise as he copied J''takk''s ''Ante'' skill, which allowed her to increase her luck in proportion to how much mana she used for it. He copied ''Mana Dice'' right after, which allowed J''takk to increase her stats according to whichever number it landed on.

    "Show me Lady Six," J''takk muttered, throwing the gray dice in her hand. It tumbled, landing on a six. The Master Gambler smiled to herself as Sero sensed her mana restoring to full capacity.

    As Dante and J''takk drew closer to the swirling mass of darkness, Sero had to admit that the Pentagram leaders were rightfully deserving of their positions and rank. Dante''s presence seemed to command the attention of the vortex itself, while J''takk''s luck seemed to be infectious, making everyone around her more confident in their abilities. The other Ascendants, seeing the two powerful individuals leading the charge, were emboldened.

    Sero''s usual skills were active as he summoned his dragon pups and Sting, preparing himself for whatever the mass of darkness would do next.

    Suddenly, the vortex began to implode on itself, growing smaller and smaller until it vanished with a pop. Everyone stared in surprise as the wicked energy was no longer present. Dante and J''takk, still in a defensive stance, slowly relaxed their bodies.

    "What... just happened?" Sero asked, confused.

    Dante and J''takk exchanged a glance. "I don''t know," Dante growled. "But we''d better keep an eye out. If Culling''s involved with this, then we should expect something else to happen."

    Sero shivered, feeling a pit form in the bottom of his stomach as he remembered that Elizabeth was supposed to be at the site of the first pendant he found at the abandoned house. He hoped that she was okay, or at least, that the situation had turned out better for her than it had for the other witnesses who had been at the park.

    <hr>

    Over at the site of the first pendant, Kit jogged up to the group, tense, but slightly more relaxed as she put her phone away.

    "There was another pendant at the park near the association building," the Paradox explained. "Dante and J''takk were able to get the situation under control, but there were some casualties. Meredith is working with Gregor and the other Janitors to see if they can locate any other pendants around the Zone, just in case there''s more."

    "Why are these pendants popping up all of a sudden?" Kaizo murmured, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "The conditions for it to detonate seem to be close proximity. Do you guys think it might be another incident like the monster outbreaks?"

    Elizabeth shook her head. "If it was, there''d be more explosions like before, but only two happened just now. Simply put, I think these pendants were recently put up, given how we haven''t noticed them before."

    "That still doesn''t explain why the vortex just disappeared out of nowhere," Kit murmured, looking slightly disturbed.

    "Agh, this is so frustrating!" Jack frantically scratched his head. "How can we ever learn what the hell Culling''s up to?"

    "Maybe they''re just playing with us," Ione offered, "seeing how we react to their little tricks. Trying to throw us off their trail."

    "That was the case before," Kaizo admitted. "But now it seems like they''re just... messing with us. Like they''re toying with us. Like they''re... bored."

    Jack clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Well, I''m bored and tired of the games they''re playing. Isn''t there anything we can do to get the jump on them?"

    "We could always investigate the other pendants Meredith and the others are looking for," Kit offered. "If we find them before they explode, maybe we can learn something from them."

    "That''s only IF there are more pendants they''ve planted," Kaizo pointed out. "If they''re just messing with us, then they might not leave any more clues."

    "Guess we''ll find out," Elizabeth grimaced, powering up her Empress suit. "Jack, get in touch with Yelena and let her know the situation. Contact Serafina too, see if she can rally up the other A.R.E.S. members to come to the 25th Zone."

    "On it, Empress."

    "Kit, take Amaya with you to reconvene with the others at the park. Ione and Cassandra, remain here with me just in case anything should happen," Kaizo added. "Everyone, be on guard."

    With that, the group split up. Kit and Amaya left the abandoned house, jogging toward a secluded area where the Paradox was able to teleport them near the park.

    As Amaya got her bearings, she noticed Sero in the midst of the other Ascendants, standing next to Dante and J''takk.

    "Sero!" she called out, running over to him. "Are you okay? What happened here?"

    "Huh? Oh, hey Amaya, Kit-" the Paradox knocked the wind out of Sero as she hugged him tightly.

    "Is my little bookworm okay?" Kit asked, squeezing Sero.

    "Yeah, I''m... fine," the Scholar managed to gasp out. "Kit, you''re hugging too tight."

    "I''m sorry!" Kit giggled, letting go. "I''m just relieved to see you''re okay. So, what happened here?"

    "A pendant was found here. Some unlucky citizen caused it to go off, killing a couple more," Dante explained grimly as he approached the three.

    "I see... That''s terrible," Amaya said, looking worried. "Seems like nothing else happened, right?"

    Dante shrugged. "No, that''s the thing. The explosion was pretty big, but other than that, it just vanished right after."

    "That''s not all," J''takk interjected, her voice heavy with worry. "Something felt... off about the area. It''s like there was something more there, just beyond our senses. Something we couldn''t quite grasp."

    "Maybe it was just a residual effect from the pendant''s power," Sero suggested, though he didn''t sound entirely convinced. "Or maybe there are other pendants still hidden nearby."

    "Whatever the case, the alliance is already responding," Dante glanced at the group. "Sero, it''s great that you responded, but now you need to go back. I hope you still remember the decision the alliance came to regarding your involvement?"

    "Yeah, yeah. I''ll be at Gregor''s place with Nala and Luna," Sero consented, much to the surprise of Amaya. She hadn''t expected Sero to willingly comply, especially since she knew how personal this was to him. A creeping suspicion began to grow within her mind.

    "Good. And remember, if anything else comes up, you need to leave it to us," Dante warned.

    Sero scowled, but then turned to leave. Amaya didn''t know why, but she followed him, reaching out to grasp at his sleeve.

    "Wait, Sero!"

    The Scholar turned around, looking surprised to see Amaya still there. "What''s up?"

    "I just... could I come with?"

    Sero raised an eyebrow. "Aren''t you busy with this stuff?"

    "Yeah, but..." Amaya lowered her voice. "You''re doing something behind their backs, aren''t you?"

    Sero''s eyes twitched, but it was more than enough to confirm her suspicions. "I knew it," Amaya whispered. "You''re not just going to sit back and do nothing, huh?"

    "Are you going to tell me to stop?"

    "No," Amaya shook her head. "I want to join you. To make sure you don''t get into trouble like the last few times."

 Chapter 88: Raising Too Many Flags

    Sero wasn''t really sure what to make of Amaya''s intentions as he teleported the both of them back to Gregor''s place, where Luna opened the door before they even got there.

    "Amaya!" the succubus cried, throwing her arms around the liaison. "It''s so good to see you!"

    "Likewise, Luna," Amaya said, returning the embrace. "I''m glad you''re doing well."

    "Are you guys all right?" Nala asked, standing behind Luna. "That explosion seemed pretty terrifying."

    "We''re fine," Sero said, rubbing the back of his neck. "But I guess we''re going to need to keep an eye on things. There might be more of those pendants out there."

    "I''m sure the alliance will take care of it," Luna assured him, but there was doubt in her voice.

    The four of them moved inside Gregor''s home, resting on the couches in the living room. Sero was itching to meet up with Elizabeth to discuss the recent events, but he needed a way to get rid of Amaya, who had seen right through him.

    "You know," Amaya began, "I could help you look for those other pendants. I mean, I know the alliance doesn''t want you involved, but I think they''d understand if it was to keep you safe."

    Sero blinked. "Who says I was gonna go look for the other pendants?"

    "I don''t know what you guys are talking about, but it''s written all over your face," Nala spoke up. "You''ve never been good at hiding your intentions, Sero."

    "Yeah, even without looking at your emotions, I could tell you''re up to something," Luna added, popping open a can of beer.

    Sero sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. You guys are right. But don''t go telling anyone else, okay? If the alliance finds out, they''ll kick me out or place me under watch or something."

    "We understand," Luna assured him with a burp. "We won''t breathe a word."

    "I''m not worried about you or Nala," Sero made a face as he turned to Amaya. "But what about you? Are you willing to bend the rules for me?"

    Amaya opened her mouth hesitantly. "I... I trust you, Sero. I know you''re not one to do things just for yourself. If you really think it''s important, then I''ll help you."

    Sero sensed that Amaya wanted to say something else, but the Spellblade went quiet, avoiding his gaze as she fiddled with her nails.

    "So, what are you planning to do now?" Nala broke the silence.

    "Well, I''m still down to go to that new arcade bar buffet place," Sero offered a small smile. "That is, if you guys are still down, too."

    <hr>

    While it wasn''t exactly what Sero planned to do, it was a breath of fresh air as the four of them headed out to the arcade.

    "I''ve never been here before," Amaya admitted as they made their way through the bustling crowd of people. "It''s a lot more packed than I expected."

    "Yeah, this place opened up not too long ago," Nala explained, her eyes lighting up at the passing waiters carrying desserts. "The concept of drinks, all-you-can-eat, and video games was a big hit within the first week of its opening."

    "I''m just interested in the drinks," Luna purred, swaying her hips suggestively. "I hear they have some really good cocktails."

    "Didn''t you just... drink an entire 12-pack by yourself earlier this morning?" Sero stared incredulously at the succubus.

    "Oh, come on, Sero, don''t be a buzzkill," Nala laughed. "It''s not like Luna''s going to turn into an alcoholic or anything."

    "Right, because she already is one," Sero muttered under his breath.

    As they made their way to the bar, they spotted a familiar face sitting by herself at a table in the corner. Sero nudged Amaya and nodded in the girl''s direction. "Hey, isn''t that Elizabeth?" he asked.

    The Spellblade immediately bristled at the sight of Elizabeth. "What''s she doing here?"

    "Oh, uh..." Sero hesitated, wondering if he should confess that he was the one who invited her so that they could discuss plans on what to do next. "Uh, I don''t know."

    "Sero! Amaya!" Elizabeth noticed the group and waved them over. "Hi, I''m Elizabeth."

    "Liz, this is Nala and Luna." Sero introduced everyone to each other.

    "So, what brings you here? I thought you were preoccupied with the pendant situation." Amaya asked, trying to make conversation as she kept her voice even. Sero sensed some animosity radiating off the liaison, which had soured further when he called Elizabeth by her nickname.

    "I... was... going to ask for help from Sero," Elizabeth replied slowly, quickly catching on as she noticed the panicked look in Sero''s eyes. "I was heading over to his place when I spotted this bar and thought I could... use a drink..."

    Sero gulped. "Well, you''re welcome to join us. We were just about to order some drinks ourselves."

    "Sure. If that''s fine with you guys."

    Nala and Luna nodded their agreements, but Amaya''s eyes narrowed suspiciously. Finally, she shrugged, apparently deciding that it was better to keep an eye on the situation than to push Elizabeth away. "Okay, I guess that''s fine," she said, her tone still somewhat guarded.

    They ordered their drinks and found a table near the arcade games. As they waited for their order, Sero glanced at Elizabeth across the table, who seemed to be deep in thought. He wondered what she was thinking about. His face flushed as he recalled how close they had gotten the night she spent at his penthouse.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    To his left, Nala began to converse with Amaya, catching up with everything that had happened between them. To his right, Luna gave him a subtle nudge.

    "I''m sensing a love triangle..." the succubus singingly whispered in his ear.

    "What? No!" Sero exclaimed, feeling his cheeks heat up. "There''s no love triangle. Liz and I are just friends. Really."

    Apparently, Sero forgot to keep his voice down as he spoke, because Nala, Amaya, and Elizabeth all turned to look at him with expressions of incredulity. While Nala seemed more amused and intrigued, Amaya and Elizabeth shared a look of surprise, though the Spellblade had a glaring jealousy mixed in her expression.

    "Never said anything about her. I was just going to tease you privately about it, but blurting that out in front of Amaya and Elizabeth is gonna cause problems, don''t you think?" Luna raised an eyebrow.

    Sero grimaced, feeling his face flush even deeper. "I..." He turned back to Elizabeth. "So, um... about the pendant. You were saying you needed help with it?"

    "Oh, um, right!" Elizabeth gathered herself quickly. "Well, I was hoping that Sero or someone from the group might be able to help me track down other pendants if there are any more like them within the 25th Zone. You know, outside of the alliance."

    "Well, Sero and I have already agreed to work on it together," Amaya interjected rather quickly, her tone slightly defensive. "We''re going to plan out what to do."

    "Is that so? I thought you were going to discuss that with me, Sero," Elizabeth said, her tone slightly accusatory. "Isn''t that why you texted me to come here?"

    Sero hadn''t thought this far ahead. While he was grateful for Amaya''s help, he really did want to work with Elizabeth instead. But now that the both of them were here, he was finding it difficult to get out of the situation. "Uh, well... I mean... yes. But I thought it would be better if we worked together, with everyone here."

    Elizabeth looked from Sero to Amaya, then back again. "So, you''re saying you don''t want my help?"

    "N-no, I do, it''s just..." Sero activated Perfect Analysis, trying to come up with the best answer to appease both Amaya and Elizabeth. Nothing seemed to work.

    "Er, champion? Is this a bad time?" Aphiel''s voice suddenly popped into his head.

    "No, this is the best moment you could''ve ever chosen," Sero thought back, giving the others at the table a weak grin.

    "Um, my Sponsor has something to discuss with me, so I''ll be right back!" Sero caught the looks of disbelief on Amaya''s and Elizabeth''s faces, but didn''t dwell on them. Instead, he focused on Aphiel''s presence in his head, willing himself to appear before her.

    <hr>

    When Sero opened his eyes, he found himself back in Aphiel''s cozy personal space once again. The goddess, leaning against her desk, glanced up from her papers as she noticed Sero''s presence.

    "Champion, I am glad you are-"

    Sero flopped onto Aphiel''s bed, relieved to escape Amaya and Elizabeth, albeit for a short while.

    "-here. Did I interrupt something?" Aphiel raised an eyebrow at him.

    "Uh, no. Not at all. I just need some advice on something," Sero admitted, feeling a bit guilty for using Aphiel as a way out of the situation. "There''s this girl named Elizabeth. She''s in the alliance, and she''s a regular human with a badass tech suit. We''re just friends, but-"

    Aphiel held up her palms, trying to stop Sero. "Wait, champion, I need to inform you of something first!"

    Sero frowned. "What is it?"

    "It is regarding the pendant you found earlier. I knew I recognized the energy radiating off of it." Aphiel paused dramatically. "That pendant is a key. A key that requires souls as fuel."

    Sero sat up on Aphiel''s bed. "You mean... it''s like how Culling used the outbreaks to gain more sacrifices or how they took the children and plague patients?"

    "Precisely. The pendant you found is connected to a much larger network of such keys, and its purpose is to create a sort of energy vortex that will draw in the souls of those who die nearby. It is a rather ingenious system, really. Evil, but ingenious."

    Sero shivered. "So you''re saying there''s more pendants that could potentially have been spread throughout the 25th Zone?"

    The goddess nodded. "In fact, I have reason to believe that this is the last phase of whatever the Culling is planning, as these pendants are far too archaic and inefficient to be relied upon. There are too many conditions to activate them, which include close proximity of a human in order to trigger it, and the resulting explosion is not large enough to gather many sacrifices."

    Sero felt a chill run down his spine. "So, what do I do with this information? Even if it''s not as severe as the outbreak incident, it''s still dangerous, right?"

    "Unfortunately, unless you are able to scour every inch of terrain, you will most likely not find these pendants until they are stumbled upon. Granted, there is an off-chance that only the two were planted, but we cannot afford those risks, correct?"

    "Yeah," Sero sighed as he flopped back on the bed. "Worst part is, I have a good feeling this is just another distraction so that Culling can do whatever they want without us knowing."

    Aphiel sat on the bed beside Sero, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I understand that this news must be disheartening, but you must not lose hope, champion. You have done well so far. You have found the pendant, and you have uncovered this information. You must trust your instincts and continue to fight for what is right."

    Sero lifted a fist towards the ceiling. "Even if the methods I take to get there aren''t noble?"

    Aphiel''s expression softened. "You are not perfect, champion. None of us are. But it is the intent that matters. As long as your heart is in the right place, and you continue to strive for what is right, then you will make a difference."

    "Gods have a different sense of morality compared to us humans, huh?" Sero glanced at Aphiel.

    "I did not mean to imply that gods are above judgment, champion. We too have our own set of values and morals. However, as deities, we have the luxury of seeing the bigger picture, the grand scheme of things. We can afford to be more patient and strategic. Humans, on the other hand, are creatures of emotion."

    "Oh? You saying that you don''t have emotions?"

    "Of course we do, champion, but we are not bound by them in the same way. We can control our emotions, use them as tools for guiding our actions, rather than being ruled by them. This is something that humans, in their current state, are not yet capable of. It is both their greatest strength and their greatest weakness."

    Sero turned to look at the goddess. "Even when you saw me naked that one time?"

    "I-!" Aphiel stammered, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of red. "Y-You''re making this...difficult..." she managed, trying to maintain her regal composure. "E-even though gods aren''t bound by emotions, we''re still capable of feeling them, and they can affect us in various ways. But it''s our choice whether we let them control us or not."

    Sero chuckled, enjoying the goddess'' discomfort. "Sorry, Aphiel. Didn''t mean to tease you like that."

    "It''s quite alright," the goddess said, finally managing to compose herself. "It''s just...an unusual situation for me. Most mortals are awestruck in my presence, not trying to make me blush."

    "I must be the first one to do that to you, right?" Sero smirked.

    "I would not know, champion," Aphiel replied, her tone a mix of annoyance and amusement. "But it is certainly an interesting experience. Now, if you will excuse me, I believe you should be getting back."

    Sero paused for a moment. Despite knowing that he had to inform the others and come up with something, he found himself less than eager to deal with Amaya and Elizabeth.

    "Something on your mind, champion?"

    Sero looked up at Aphiel, who seemed to be studying him with a gentle expression.

    "Nah, nothing too important."

 Chapter 89: Backtracking

    Summoning the courage to finally go back, Sero found himself in the arcade booth once again, where Nala, Luna, Amaya, and Elizabeth were quietly waiting for him.

    "So, you''ve been gone quite a while, Sero," Amaya said casually. "Any interesting insights?"

    "Er... yeah," Sero replied cautiously. "Turns out the pendants aren''t as dangerous as the outbreaks and require multiple conditions for them to activate. If we can find the other pendants before they get discovered by unknowing civilians, we can sort of contain them. There''s also a very high chance that they''re distractions put in place by Culling so it''ll throw us off their trail."

    "That''s... interesting," Amaya replied, narrowing her eyes. "Do you have any idea where we should start looking for them?"

    "Nope. Only thing I can think of is returning to the abandoned house and seeing if we can get any clues from there."

    "That''s as good a place as any," Elizabeth agreed, nodding. "Although we should also keep an eye on the news and social media. People might start talking about strange occurrences around the area."

    "Good point," Amaya conceded, "in that case, we should spread out and cover more ground. Luna and Nala, you two can start by searching online at Gregor''s while the three of us head back to the house."

    Sero wasn''t sure why, but it seemed like something had happened while he was with Aphiel. He caught Luna''s glance, but the succubus shook her head ever so slightly, as if she''d explain later.

    Their food arrived and drinks arrived, they began to eat in uncomfortable silence for the whole duration. Finally, Sero excused himself to the restroom, with Luna jumping up to join him.

    When they were far enough from the group, Sero turned to the succubus with a curious look.

    "Did... anything happen while I was gone?"

    Luna made a face. "Sero, for someone whose class is the Scholar, you are really dense when it comes to this, aren''t you?"

    "What are you talking about?" Sero frowned.

    "You and Amaya have a complicated situation, and here you are saying you might have a thing for Elizabeth right in front of her. You don''t think that would cause problems?"

    Sero''s face flushed. "So... did they talk about that?"

    "No," Luna shook her head. "It seems like they''re playing nice with each other for now. I have to say though, I definitely didn''t see this coming."

    Sero scratched his head, still feeling a bit confused about the whole situation. "So...what should I do?"

    "Be honest, but also sensitive. You already know Amaya''s still conflicted about her feelings towards you, and now you''re saying you might be getting closer with another girl. Not to mention that very girl might feel the same way about you."

    "Wait, are you saying Elizabeth¨C"

    "I''m not saying anything right now," Luna stopped him with a hand. "I''m just saying, after that little outburst of yours, I sense that she might not realize those feelings yet."

    Sero nodded, still looking uncertain. "I just...I don''t want to make things awkward between us. And I don''t want to hurt Amaya, either."

    The succubus gave him a reassuring smile. "If it helps, I''ve noticed your personality has improved in such a short time. That and the passive of the Charm skill you copied from me makes you much more attractive. It''s no wonder you''re finding yourself in a love triangle."

    Sero blinked. "Wait, Charm has a passive? I thought it was an active skill."

    "It''s both," Luna smiled wryly. "The active part forcefully makes the target infatuated, but the passive enhances the user''s appearance and desirability. Those with strong wills are able to be resistant, however. I mean, have you ever seen an unattractive succubus?"

    "I- No, I haven''t." Sero admitted, feeling a bit flustered. "I guess that makes sense." He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "Alright, I''ll be careful. I''ll talk to them both, figure out what''s going on, and... I''ll do my best not to mess anything up."

    "I''d say good luck, but..."

    "No, I know," Sero scowled. "Haven''t had much of that lately."

    <hr>

    After lunch, Nala took Luna back to Gregor''s home so that they could start combing social media for any mentions of pendants and the like. Sero managed to teleport both Amaya and Elizabeth back to the abandoned house, successfully executing his first three-person teleport.

    When they arrived, they saw Kaizo, Cassandra, and Ione still working around the scorched earth where the first pendant had exploded. The rest of the Ascendants and officials had left after securing a restrictive perimeter around the house.

    Sero expected Kaizo and Ione to question why he was there instead of staying out of things, but to his surprise, it seemed as though they were willing to allow him to observe.

    "Just... don''t make any rash decisions, okay?" Kaizo said to Sero as he, Amaya, and Elizabeth joined them.

    "I won''t," Sero replied, though he could tell Kaizo wasn''t completely convinced.

    "Anyway, this is what we have regarding information about the pendant," Kaizo continued. "It''s made of a rare metal and mineral combination I''ve never seen before, which is incredibly resistant to magic. The pendant itself seems to be a focus item for channeling and storing magical energy, but the exact nature of its power remains a mystery. The only thing we know for sure is that it''s incredibly dangerous."You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    "Well..." Sero hesitated, then began to tell Kaizo and the others what Aphiel had said about the pendants.

    "So it''s a network of keys that requires souls... but the method to farm these sacrifices is inefficient," Kaizo muttered to himself after Sero finished his explanation. "You may be right about this being a distraction. I''ll have to inform the alliance of this. Ione, Cassandra, would you both accompany me?"

    "Of course," Ione said immediately, while Cassandra hesitated a moment before nodding, giving Sero a sullen glance.

    The three S-ranks left, causing Sero to stand awkwardly with Amaya and Elizabeth.

    "Should we-"

    "Sero and I will search outside if you want to check inside the house, Elizabeth," Amaya suggested. "Maybe we''ll find something else that could help."

    Elizabeth looked a bit miffed, a new expression Sero had never seen on her before.

    "Fine," she said at last, reluctantly. "I can search the house. But if you find anything interesting, don''t forget about me."

    She walked into the house, leaving Sero and Amaya outside. Sero felt a bit awkward standing there with Amaya, unsure of what to say. He glanced around, noticing that some of the charred wood had been cleared away. The damage from the explosion seemed even more extensive now that it wasn''t obscured by debris.

    "So," he said to Amaya, trying to make conversation. "What do you think about all this?"

    She shrugged. "It''s a lot to take in. I mean, I''ve never really dealt with anything like this before."

    Sero nodded in understanding. "Yeah, me neither. But it''s good that we''re here, right? To help?"

    "I guess. I just hope... we can save Casey in time."

    Sero clenched his jaw at the mention of the boy. He knew that the longer it took for them to find him, the higher chance that Casey might...well, he didn''t want to think about it. But he had to believe that they would find him in time. He looked at Amaya and forced a smile.

    "We will. Trust me." Sero said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "We just have to keep looking. And if we find anything that might help, we''ll make sure to let everyone know."

    He snapped his fingers, conjuring Moss and Lime. The dragon pups chirped happily upon seeing Amaya, bounding over to her and nuzzling against her legs.

    "Girls, I need you to focus," Sero called to Moss and Lime. "Go and sniff around the area, see what you can find." The dragon pups obeyed, scampering off in opposite directions. Sero watched them go before turning back to Amaya.

    "I''m sure we''ll find something soon," he said, though he couldn''t help but feel doubtful. "And in the meantime, we can always keep an eye on the area, make sure nobody suspicious comes by."

    They stood in silence for a moment, watching Moss and Lime as they sniffed around the perimeter of the property. The surrounding forest stretched out before them, a lush carpet of green and brown that seemed to go on forever. The air was cool and crisp, carrying with it the scent of pine and damp earth.

    "Hey, Sero," Amaya said softly, her voice breaking the silence. "Do you ever get scared?"

    "Hell no," Sero replied. He paused, turning to her with a soft smile. "Duh. What kind of question is that? Of course even I get scared, though my Rationality usually helps with the fear. Why?"

    Amaya looked surprised by his response. "I just thought... you know, you always seem so confident and in control. I didn''t think you ever had any doubts or worries."

    Sero scratched the back of his head. "To be honest, I actually didn''t when I resurrected on Earth. But then my entire life got turned upside down and now I''m not so sure anymore. I mean, yeah, I''ve been going through shit ever since I participated in the Ascendants Tournament, but at least I had a purpose back then. Now... I don''t know. I guess it''s just hard to feel in control when everything around you is so different."

    Amaya chewed on the nail of her thumb, deep in thought. "I guess I never really thought about it like that," she admitted. "I mean, you always seem so sure of yourself, saying stuff like you''re ''so fucking cool''."

    Sero snorted. "Yeah, that was a bit much, wasn''t it?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "I think I just do that to hide how much I''m really struggling."

    The Spellblade fell silent for a moment, turning to gaze at Sero. Under her blue eyes, Sero shifted awkwardly.

    "What?"

    "Nothing," Amaya shook her head. "I just... you''ve been open and honest with your feelings with me lately. I can barely remember the lecherous, skill-obsessive, and lazy man I first met."

    "Uh, ouch?" Sero winced, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean, I''m not perfect, but I''m trying to be better, you know? Morality aside."

    They both turned to watch Moss and Lime as they sniffed around the perimeter of the clearing. The dragon pups were still searching, their small noses twitching as they caught scents on the breeze. The silence stretched between them, and Sero found himself wanting to say something else, anything to break it. But before he could think of anything, he felt a prickle at the back of his neck.

    "Sero?" Amaya''s voice was barely more than a whisper. "Do you sense that?"

    "We need to regroup with Elizabeth," Sero hissed back, summoning Sting. The Joker bowed her head and dashed into the abandoned house after telepathically receiving Sero''s orders.

    Without a word, both he and Amaya summoned their mana blades, with Sero running through his entire skill rotation of buffs. He hoped that Sting would reach Elizabeth in the house in time as he watched a crackling black barrier spread over them.

    "Did we fall into another trap?" Amaya cried out, channeling mana through her body. Moss and Lime regrouped with the pair, growling out at the forest.

    "Probably. Let''s just hope we make it out alive for a third time," Sero muttered as he scanned the area. His stomach throbbed painfully, and he became aware that his body wasn''t completely healed yet.

    It was eerily silent, the only sounds being the wind rustling through the trees and the distant crackling of mana as the barrier surrounding them continued to glow with a hellish light. The tension was palpable, and Sero could feel Amaya tensing beside him. He glanced over at her, noting the way she held her sword with practiced ease, her gaze darting around the forest in search of any sign of an enemy.

    Sero sensed the presence of three powerful energies, immediately casting Burning Spirit on himself to boost his strength. He wasn''t going to be caught off-guard this time.

    "Oh? Looks like we caught three little Ascendants," A sinister voice called out behind them.

    Amaya and Sero whirled around, finding a woman standing on the roof of the house. She was dressed in a black cloak, her pale face obscured by an obsidian mask. In her hands, she held two dark red whips, dangling by her sides. The whips seemed to glow with an unholy light, and Sero could feel the power emanating from her.

    "Can''t you count, Tenda? There''s only two Ascendants; the one inside is just a regular human," Another voice, masculine this time, spoke in front of them. Sero and Amaya turned their gaze to the source of the voice, only to see a figure leap from the branches of a nearby tree, landing gracefully on the ground. He was dressed in red and black robes, his face concealed by the same obsidian mask the woman wore. His hands were empty, but Sero could feel the presence of powerful magic emanating from him.

    "So what? Human, Ascendant, does it matter? They''re still prey." The woman named Tenda retorted from the roof.

    "Tenda, Brunn, enough," One last voice called out from the forest. A man, seemingly the strongest of the three, walked out from the shadows. Also donning an obsidian mask, the last figure was dressed in a black kevlar suit, with silver lines running down the length of his arms and legs. "We''ve been tasked with retrieving them alive, not killing them outright."

    "Aren''t you on good terms with those old Pillar geezers, Kael? Just say they were too rowdy to be caught." Tenda pouted, crossing her whips in annoyance.

    Kael sighed, shaking his head. "No, Tenda. We have our orders. Now let''s just get this over with."

 Chapter 90: Outmatched

    "So, you three are with Culling?" Sero asked, trying to buy time as he analyzed their abilities and combat styles. The three assassins before them seemed to be of varying strengths. The man in the black suit, Kael, appeared to be the leader, and the most powerful of the three. The woman, Tenda, seemed to be focused on range with her whips, while the masked man, Brunn, seemed to be more of a support character, keeping them alive with his magic.

    Instead of answering, Kael blinked forward, appearing before Sero in an instant. Already on guard, Sero was able to react in time, blocking Kael''s punch with the flat of his mana blade.

    Sero''s eyes widened in surprise as he realized that Kael''s arm was coated in a white bone-like armor. He was even more shocked when his body buzzed, copying the skill as ''Bonemake'', which formed a protective layer of bone around the caster''s body that was as strong as steel.

    "Impressive," Kael murmured, a hint of respect in his voice. "You''re a fighter worth having around."

    Amaya leapt forward to help Sero, but was kept at bay by bolts of blood fired from Brunn. Copying ''Crimson Shard'', Sero realized that Brunn could manipulate his own blood with magic.

    "Are you... are you all Ascendants too?" Sero asked, his eyes darting between the three of them. They seemed more... human than the monsters they''d faced before. Kael gave him a knowing smile.

    "I always find it a little prejudiced to label humanity based on their abilities," Kael replied with a hint of annoyance, "but, yes. The three of us are Ascendants." Sero could feel the power radiating off of Kael, stronger than any of the Culling members they had encountered so far.

    "And you''re with Culling?" Sero fired back, pushing against Kael''s bone-covered fist.

    "Not by choice, if that''s what you''re wondering," Kael made a face. "Though I can''t speak for Tenda and Brunn here."

    "You''re not the first we''ve encountered who thinks that," Tenda scoffed. "Look, kid, we''re not here to debate the ethics of it all. We''re just doing what we''re told. Now, you can make this easy on yourself or we can make it hard. It''s up to you."

    There was a flash of white light emitting from inside the house, followed by an enormous beam of mana that fired upwards, catching Tenda in the attack. Realizing that Elizabeth had probably caught up with Sting and learned of the situation, Sero and Amaya began to engage in their respective opponents.

    As Sero fought Kael, he couldn''t help but feel that he was holding back. The man was too strong and too fast, almost as if he were testing Sero''s strength. Moss and Lime did their best to hinder Kael, but it was almost as if he wasn''t using any mana at all, his strength innate instead of manipulated by magic.

    Amaya, on the other hand, was having trouble trying to get close enough to Brunn. Even though the Spellblade cycled between Fire Blasts and Lightning Bolts, Brunn seemed to always stay out of reach, keeping Amaya dancing around the endless blood shards.

    Behind them at the ruined house, Sting telepathically updated Sero on Elizabeth''s fight against Tenda. Elizabeth had summoned a couple of robotic drones to combat the monsters made up of tendons and muscles that Tenda had conjured.

    Sero deactivated Burning Spirit in favor of Undying Spirit, beginning to quickly overwhelm Kael as he stole mana and strength with every attack.

    "You said you needed to capture us. Why?" Sero asked, pressing his advantage as he continued to overwhelm Kael. Kael''s mask seemed to flicker, as if it were made of glass, before it solidified again. He glared at Sero, his expression hardening.

    "Just a job. Culling pays and we deliver." Kael''s voice was harsh, betraying a hint of anger. "Nothing personal, kid. You''re just in the way." As he spoke, Kael seemed to grow stronger and faster, much to Sero''s surprise. A quick Perfect Analysis revealed his passive, ''Full Potential'', which allowed Kael to use every part of his body without limit. It was akin to Relentless, though it seemed to also allow Kael to push his mental capacities as well.

    "How''d you know we''d be here?" Sero tried to ask a different question.

    "You didn''t think the pendant left here was by accident, did you?" Kael replied without any further explanation.

    "So, this was a trap? You were counting on us to come back?"

    Kael didn''t respond this time, narrowing his eyes as he increased the ferocity of his attack.

    Figuring that it would be better just to read his mind, Sero decided to end the fight, casting Fairness to even their strength while emulating Relentless. In spite of the situation he was in, Sero was amazed to realize he could handle a lot more excess strength than before. Kael''s eyes narrowed as he felt the shift in power, switching to a defensive stance as he tried to create distance from Sero.

    But the battle had already been won. In a flash, Sero zipped behind Kael, firing mana railguns through each of his joints. Kael roared in pain, immediately falling to the ground as his body became immobilized. Moss and Lime growled as they ran up to Kael, weakening him further as they kept watch.

    "Oh shit, Kael!" Brunn shouted, trying to get away from Amaya so that he could help him. Sero turned his attention to Brunn, who kept concentrating a storm of blood projectiles at Amaya. Feeling his Rationality wash over him, Sero dashed forward, swinging his blade down and lopping off Brunn''s arm.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    The right arm splattered to the ground as Brunn screamed in pain, falling to one knee. "You... fucker!" he hissed through gritted teeth. Sero was about to deliver a finishing blow, ignoring Amaya''s screams of protest when he felt a surge of power from the direction of the house. He turned around to see Tenda and Elizabeth locked in combat, dodging attacks from their respective summons.

    Sero realized that Sting had been defeated, and Elizabeth was beginning to tire out, her white armor flickering weakly as Tenda cracked her whip against her side. Elizabeth screamed in pain, her Empress armor dispersing into white light as her robotic summons also disappeared.

    "No!" Sero shouted, ignoring Brunn as he rushed to help Elizabeth. Amaya ran towards her as well, enhancing her speed with as much mana as she could muster up. Brunn grinned maliciously, his remaining arm growing impossibly long as he flung a few blood shards at them, trying to distract the pair.

    "Fuck off!" Sero roared, conjuring the Jury axe and slamming it down in the direction of Brunn. The man''s eyes widened in surprise as the shockwave rushed towards him, blowing him and his attack away. Sero turned his attention back to Tenda and Elizabeth, his stomach dropping at the sight.

    One of Tenda''s whips was wrapped around Elizabeth''s throat, glowing with a dangerous red light. Amaya had stopped behind Sero, her sword trembling in her hand.

    "Let''s all just take it easy, okay?" Tenda smiled coldly, flicking her eyes towards her fallen allies. "You two did quite a number on the boys, didn''t you?"

    "Let her go." Sero growled, his voice hard. "You don''t want any more trouble than you already have." Tenda laughed, shaking her head.

    "Ascendants like you and me are very tough, kid," Tenda sneered, tightening the whip around Elizabeth''s neck. "But, regular humans? They break very easily."

    Sero''s grip on his mana blade tightened. "I said let her go," he growled through clenched teeth.

    "Sero!" Amaya gasped behind him.

    He whirled around, jaw dropping as Kael slowly rose to his feet. Beside him, Brunn scowled as he stuck his right arm into place, a black light burning around the site of attachment. It seemed as though the two men had completely recovered from their injuries.

    "What the fuck? Are they zombies?" Sero growled, his eyes flickering between Kael and Brunn.

    "Ha! As if. I would''ve killed them a long time ago if that was the case," Tenda spat, though her body relaxed, as if she was relieved that her allies were okay.

    "Good work, Tendra," Kael nodded. "We can use her to capture these two."

    Sero felt a surge of anger course through him, clashing against his Rationality. He didn''t like their odds right now, and he was desperate to avoid repeating the same mistakes. "One chance, Tendra," he warned. "If you hurt her, I swear I''ll kill you."

    Tenda laughed, her expression mocking. "Oh, please, you couldn''t even kill Kael or Brunn."

    "Stop antagonizing him, Tendra," Kael stepped forward, glancing at Amaya and Sero. "We need to capture the Scholar without any more delays."

    "What do you want with Sero?" Amaya stepped in front of him defensively. "Just for his abilities? Or to sacrifice?"

    "Well, they only said we needed the Scholar for his abilities, but now that you mention sacrifice..." Brunn smiled wickedly. "Kael, won''t we get paid more if we take all three in?"

    "S-Sero... Amaya... I-I''m sorry..." Elizabeth gasped weakly, struggling against Tendra''s whips. "D-don''t... surrender to them... forget me... and save yourselves..."

    "Shut up, bitch!" Tendra growled, slapping Elizabeth hard across the face. "You''re coming with us, whether you like it or not!"

    Sero prepared to emulate Lawbreak and somehow use Cat Paradox, but Tendra tightened the whip around Elizabeth¡¯s neck. "Stay put, Scholar. I sense any change in your mana, and this pretty girl¡¯s neck snaps in half faster than you can blink."

    Sero felt his heart sink. There was no way they could hope to win a fair fight. His mind raced, searching for an alternative, any way to save Amaya and Elizabeth. He couldn''t surrender himself this time, since these people wanted to take all three of them.

    "Kael," Sero said, his voice steady, "if you really want to use my abilities, I''ll help you. But you need to let Amaya and Elizabeth go free."

    Kael stepped up to Sero, his mask shimmering with black energy. "I admire and respect your strength, Scholar. But that''s as far as my admiration goes. I don''t care about your noble sacrifice for your friends or whatever."

    "Then what do you care about?" Sero countered, his voice tight with desperation.

    "Among other things, money is the biggest motivator for me." Kael replied evenly. "Money that I know very well you wouldn''t be able to produce in such a short amount of time."

    "Kael, let''s just take them in already!" Brunn growled. "No point in listening to what else they have to say."

    "N-no..." Elizabeth gasped weakly. "Sero, Amaya... run away.."

    Sero glanced at her, his heart aching. He didn''t want her to get hurt any more. He could feel Amaya''s hand gripping his arm tightly, her fingers trembling with anger and fear. He looked into her eyes and saw the same determination that burned within his own heart.

    "I wished we could''ve fought on better terms, Scholar," Kael sighed, conjuring what looked like obsidian handcuffs. "But, the job takes precedence. The three of you will come with us. Your fates will be in the hands of Culling."

    With a wave of his hand, the obsidian cuffs flew towards them, clamping shut around Sero''s wrists. The cuffs bit into his skin, burning with cold fire. Sero grimaced, feeling his connection to his mana forcibly cut off. Next to him, Amaya yelped as the same cuffs clamped around her wrists. Tendra leered at Elizabeth, jerking her whip down to force her on her knees.

    "Don''t hurt her," Sero growled, struggling against his bonds. "Just take us. She''s not an Ascendant."

    "Oh, I know," Tendra purred maliciously. "It seems like she''s very important to you. Is she your girlfriend or something?"

    Sero bit his tongue, unable to answer her question. He sensed Amaya stiffening next to him, and couldn''t face her. Elizabeth''s face flushed a deep red, and she struggled harder against the whip, but it was no use. Brunn snickered, enjoying the spectacle, while Kael sighed impatiently. "Can we just get going?"

    "Fine," Tendra huffed, dragging Elizabeth along with her. Kael threw a cube-like device on the ground, conjuring a dark portal similar to the ones Thaddeus and Dr. Malek had summoned before.

    "Let''s go, you three," Kael growled, shoving Sero and Amaya forward. They stumbled, the cold handcuffs biting into their wrists as they were forced into the darkness of the portal. Sero cursed himself for getting into situations he continuously failed to find a way out of. Even worse, he had dragged Elizabeth and Amaya with him.

 Chapter 91: Finally, the Chase Ends

    Stepping out of the portal, Sero found himself in a dimly lit chamber, the floor and walls a smooth, polished black marble. A single obsidian throne dominated the center of the room, its cold, unyielding surface somehow reflecting the light of a pair of flickering torches mounted on either side. A figure sat upon the throne, its features hidden in shadow.

    "Ah, the Graven Three," the figure boomed. "You''ve secured the Scholar." Sero twitched, recognizing the voice.

    "We managed to capture another Ascendant and a regular human," Kael nodded to Brunn and Tendra, who pushed Amaya and Elizabeth forth to stand next to Sero. "Figured that you could use them for sacrifices or whatever it is you''re planning."

    The figure on the throne chuckled as it rose, stepping down. "Indeed, Kael. Your attention to detail does not go unnoticed. However, I have other plans for the Scholar. As for the other two, they shall serve as collateral."

    Sero''s jaw clenched tightly as the figure revealed itself to be Thaddeus, the Culling Pillar that had ambushed him and Amaya the first time. Thaddeus grinned, revealing his jagged yellow teeth.

    "You''re the one who set up those pendants?" Sero growled, struggling against the cold restraints. "You''re the one who killed all those people!"

    "I didn''t personally set them up, but the Graven Three were more than happy to execute my idea. They may be Vultures, but I find it quite easy to work with their obsession for money and riches," Thaddeus explained casually, stepping closer to Sero. "As for the deaths... it was necessary to ensure that the Scholar would be brought to me. You, Sero, are an unexpected bonus to the Culling''s goals."

    Sero snarled, struggling against his restraints again, but to no avail. Beside him, Amaya cursed under her breath, her eyes darting between Thaddeus and the obsidian throne. "What do you mean to do with us?" she demanded.

    "You two will merely serve as mana sacrifices to invoke the Catastrophe," Thaddeus gazed at Amaya and Elizabeth with disdain. "The Scholar has a more important role than you."

    The Culling Pillar nodded to Kael and his allies. "Your work here is done. I will compensate you three later."

    "Don''t forget about our bonus," Tendra snarled.

    Thaddeus raised an eyebrow. "I don''t believe I''ve agreed to anything of the sort."

    "What? You double-crossing-"

    "Let it go, Tendra," Kael held her back with an arm. "Thaddeus. We hope to receive our payment soon."

    "Of course, of course," Thaddeus waved his hand dismissively. Kael dropped another cube on the ground, allowing the Graven Three to exit through the portal.

    After they left, Thaddeus snapped his fingers, beckoning several cloaked Culling members out of the shadows. They surrounded Sero, Amaya, and Elizabeth, their faces hidden beneath hoods. The Culling Pillar gestured toward a nearby altar, where several strange artifacts lay scattered about.

    "I''m... sorry guys..." Elizabeth croaked hoarsely beside Sero and Amaya, her throat raw from the whip still wrapped around her neck. "I ended up weighing you down."

    "Don''t apologize, Elizabeth," Sero growled through gritted teeth. "Don''t you dare apologize." He struggled against the obsidian restraints once more, but they held fast. All of his skills and mana seemed to be locked away by the handcuffs.

    "If it helps," Elizabeth took a deep and shaky breath. "I managed to send out a distress signal to Jack and Yelena. Whatever happens, the alliance will at least be able to know what went down."

    The Culling members dragged Sero, Amaya, and Elizabeth toward the altar. Thaddeus watched impassively from his throne. "It''s too bad the Scholar couldn''t have joined our cause," he mused, "but I suppose his death will serve as a powerful sacrifice all the same."

    The three dropped to their knees in front of the altar, where several other members brought out smaller, similarly cloaked figures to stand before the structure. Amaya gasped in shock as the three of them realized they were the missing children.

    "You monsters!" Amaya screamed, struggling against her captors. "Let them go! You have no right!"

    "Right? True rights do not exist in the world we live in, Amaya." Another familiar voice called out.

    As Dr. Malek came to stand behind the children, Sero''s blood boiled. All of his thoughts were replaced by an unyielding rage as he stared into the eyes of the man he once trusted.

    "You''re insane!" Amaya screamed, tears streaming down her face. "You''ve destroyed everything! You''ve ruined lives!"

    "Ruined lives?" Dr. Malek replied quietly, almost sadly. "No, the lives I chose to bring here were already ruined. The bodies exhumed from the hospitals were afflicted with the Outbreak Plague; a disease I''m sure you three know very well is close to impossible to cure. As for these children, they were brought from horrible environments, ranging from homelessness, abuse, neglect..."

    Dr. Malek pushed one of the cloaked children forward, the hood falling off to reveal the boy the three of them had been desperately searching for.

    "...and isolation."

    "Casey!" Sero yelled out to the boy. Casey''s pale orange eyes seemed unfocused as they came across the three, faintly lighting up as he recognized them. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "Mr. Sero... Miss Amaya..." Casey whispered, his voice barely audible. "I... I''m sorry. I didn''t know what they were going to do to me..."

    "What did you do?!" Sero roared at Dr. Malek. "What the fuck did you do to him?!"

    The doctor, a sad resignation filling his eyes. "I did what I had to, Sero. The world isn''t kind, and it doesn''t help that both Ascendants and non-Ascendants perpetuate the evil in this world. You, of all people, should know this."

    "What the fuck are you talking about?" Sero spat back. "I don''t get anything you''re saying!"

    "Sero," Dr. Malek sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Your parents were unfairly taken away from you. You''ve grown up, ostracized by your peers simply because they were jealous of how intelligent you were."

    "That''s not-" Sero growled, but Dr. Malek cut him off.

    "I know that''s not enough to explain, so allow me to tell you the truth. Why do you think your mother passed away a few years ago?"

    Sero stiffened. He couldn''t believe what he was hearing. "What do you mean?" he managed to choke out. "She had stage 4 colon cancer. There wasn''t any hope for her."

    Dr. Malek nodded sadly. "That''s what we told everyone, of course. But the truth is, we could have cured her. We had the means to cure her."

    Sero could feel Elizabeth''s and Amaya''s eyes on him as he reeled from the information. "What?"

    "As her doctor, I wanted to cure her, of course. But, your family was poor and couldn''t afford it. I... I didn''t have the heart to tell your father about it, either. I didn''t want to give you false hope."

    Sero felt as if the world had been yanked out from beneath him. He stared at Dr. Malek, unblinking, struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what he was hearing. "But... why would you do that?" he managed to choke out. "Why would you let her die?"

    "It wasn''t my choice," Dr. Malek said quietly. "It was theirs. The government, the hospital, whoever was higher up in power. You didn''t have the goods for them to lend you the aid you needed. The reality is that those in power do not care for the ones suffering. That''s why I need to do this."

    Sero felt as if he had been punched in the gut. He could feel the anger rising within him, the need to lash out and hurt someone for the pain they had caused. But at the same time, he couldn''t help but feel a strange sense of relief. Relief that he wasn''t alone, that someone else understood the pain he had been going through.

    "The way you''re going about this is wrong!" Amaya cried out, struggling against her obsidian cuffs. "Why drag innocent people into this? Why would you slaughter countless lives? Is the goal of invoking a Catastrophe just to rid the world of the evils you speak of?"

    "I admit, what you''ve seen of Culling so far may cause you to assume we only want destruction," Dr. Malek began. "But those who share the same mindset as I are able to see further in the future. Yes, invoking the Catastrophe to wipe this world clean is a bit extreme, but now think about what happens after. The ones who will rebuild the world from the ground up will be Culling."

    Dr. Malek paused, lifting Casey up onto the altar. "Without the evils of this world to hold us back, the survivors will be free to create a better world. One without the suffering and pain that Ascendants and non-Ascendants alike have endured. We will be able to cure diseases, eliminate hunger, and provide for everyone. We will be equals, and we will create paradise on Earth."

    "You''re... insane!" Elizabeth choked out. "Did you... forget that... Catastrophes are unimaginably powerful? How will you... deal with them?"

    "We won''t," Dr. Malek admitted with a grim nod. "Not at first. At first, we''ll be nothing more than survivors. But survivors with knowledge. We will study the Catastrophes, learn from them, and adapt. We will create a world that can withstand them, and even harness their power for good. The Savior will ensure this."

    "Besides," Dr. Malek glanced at Amaya sadly. "For the most part, we did take those that were beyond saving as sacrifices. They were either on the verge of death from the Outbreak Plague, or were incompatible with the mana-enhanced organs. The other citizens were merely... collateral damage. The ones who truly deserve to suffer will be the ones who had the power to stop us and didn''t. The ones who could''ve made a positive impact on the world and decided to corrupt it instead."

    Sero suddenly found it hard to breathe. "Wait, my dad... he had the plague... and mana-enhanced organs..."

    The doctor smiled sadly at Sero. "Again, I''m sorry for your loss. I wish there was another way. But the sacrifice had to be made."

    Sero was dimly aware of Amaya trembling next to him, but he couldn''t focus on anything but the realization in his mind. "You... knew my dad was going to die either way..."

    "Truthfully, I was very hesitant to interact with you ever since you acquired those dragons of yours," Dr. Malek admitted with a dry smile. "I was certain you would''ve began to grow suspicious of me."

    "My dragons?" Sero thought back to Moss and Lime, recalling how Dr. Malek was the only person they were always hostile towards. "Wait, I thought it was because they smelled death on you-"

    He blinked, the entire picture dawning upon him. "They knew. They knew from the start." Sero stared at Dr. Malek. "The patients you were in charge of... you led them to death?"

    "Not at all," Dr. Malek insisted. "They were already doomed, one way or another. It was only a matter of time. I merely... sped up the process. And in return, I gave them a chance to make a difference. A chance to do something truly great."

    "What chance?" Amaya demanded, her voice rising in anger. "They never got a chance to decide to be a sacrifice or not! Tiero never-" She choked on her words, unable to continue.

    "I know this must come as a shock to you," Dr. Malek looked at the three one by one. "But, to fight the wrongs of the world, you must challenge it with the same strength. You must be willing to make sacrifices, and sometimes, those sacrifices must be great. But remember, it is for the greater good. For the survival of humanity. For the creation of a better world."

    "What''s wrong... with the world right now?" Elizabeth rasped, loosening the whip around her neck before a Culling member dashed up to tighten it. "Sure... I can see it... from your point of view... but there''s far more good... than the evil you''ve talked about."

    "Perhaps," Dr. Malek allowed, though he didn''t sound convinced. "But it''s not about seeing the good or the bad. It''s about balance. Right now, the world is out of balance. The strong prey upon the weak, the corrupt rule over the virtuous. A majority of humans fear both Ascendants and monsters. There are a growing number of Ascendants who deemed themselves more powerful than others, and therefore should be given the right to rule the weak. World powers, both blessed and mortal, clash with each other for superiority. You three may be ignorant of it, but we are just one incident away from a world war."

    "And you think the Savior will fix that?" Sero scoffed. "Instead of letting us fight it out, you''re willing to bring in a nuclear bomb to level the Earth?"

    Dr. Malek raised an eyebrow. "Yes, he will be the one to bring about the change. He will be the one to reset the balance. He will bring peace, not by force, but by example. He will be the one to unite humanity, not by fear, but by hope. He will be the one to lead us into the future, stronger and wiser."

    With a quick flourish, Dr. Malek conjured an obsidian knife, similar to the one Thaddeus attempted to use on Sero.

    "I hope I''ve explained enough for you to see reason, Sero. I desperately pray that you will see the truth in my words and join Culling."

 Chapter 92: Past the Breaking Point

    "I will never join you," Sero snarled. "I will never be part of something that takes innocent lives and justifies it as ''for the greater good''."

    Dr. Malek sighed, stepping behind Casey. "I figured you''d say as much, though I had a spark of hope that you''d change your mind."

    "Wait, what are you doing?" Amaya whispered. "Please don''t hurt Casey."

    Sero''s heart lurched at the threat, but he forced himself to keep his eyes on Dr. Malek. "Don''t touch him, Malek. Just take me and let everyone else go." Even as the words left his mouth, Sero knew they wouldn''t make any difference.

    "You and I both know this will only end one way," Dr. Malek said, pressing the knife to Casey''s neck. "After we sacrifice the tributes and take your Class abilities, the Catastrophe will be invoked here. The plans will finally be set in motion."

    "Stop," Sero strained against his obsidian cuffs, trying to activate his skills. But every time he gathered mana, the cuffs quickly drained it away. "Why are you doing this to us?"

    Dr. Malek smiled bitterly. "I''m not the only mastermind behind this. Thaddeus figured that by luring you three and making you watch as the children are sacrificed may generate more energy for us to use. Those cuffs? Every time you try to cast a skill, it will drain away that magic to be used in calling forth the Catastrophe. Those outbreaks and pendants? Of course, they were diversions, but they also gathered energy from the dead."

    Sero continued to strain against his handcuffs, desperately trying to reach Casey.

    "As of now, we actually have the resources needed to execute the final phases of our plan. The only outlier was you, Sero. If it weren''t for you, we would''ve gathered what we needed from the Ascendants Tournament long ago, from the match we thought would be Elena pitted against Liam. The alliance wouldn''t have been formed so quickly, nor would we have to resort to flashy diversions to get what we needed. Simply put, in a way, you were directly responsible for where you are now, Sero."

    Dr. Malek leaned in closer, his breath hot against Casey''s ear. "But there is still time to make things right. Join us now, Sero, and I will spare your friend here. You can live out the rest of your days with us, helping to rebuild the world."

    Several Culling members stepped forward, grabbing Sero, Amaya, and Elizabeth to prevent them from moving. Sero screamed in frustration, trying to break free from their grasp as he recklessly sent more mana into the handcuffs.

    "Fuck you, Malek!" Sero snarled, his voice laced with desperation. "Don''t you dare hurt Casey! I swear to god, I''ll¨C"

    "Mr. Sero," Casey smiled weakly at him, his eyes suddenly clear. "I''m sorry. I wasn''t strong enough, like you."

    Sero''s heart shattered as he saw the tears streaming down Casey''s face. "No, it''s not your fault. It''s mine. I should''ve been able to do something," he choked out, struggling against the men restraining him. "I''m sorry, Casey. I got you into this mess, but I''ll find a way out, okay? Just trust me."

    "It''s okay, Mr. Sero," Casey shook his head ever so slightly. "It''s my fault you got stuck here, right? And Miss Amaya too, I didn''t mean to make you guys... you know..." His voice trailed off, his eyes closing as he took a shuddering breath. "I''m just glad... I got to meet you."

    "Casey!" Amaya''s voice rang out, tears streaming down her face. "Don''t you dare talk like that! You are strong, you are brave, and you are loved! We will get out of this, I promise you!" Her voice cracked as she struggled against her own restraints, her body shaking with sobs.

    Elizabeth choked on the whip around her neck as she tried to reach for the boy. The obsidian handcuffs around Sero''s wrist bit into his skin as he struggled against the men restraining him. He could feel the energy draining away with every attempt to break free, but he had to try. He had to save Casey.

    "I thought I''d be alone after Grandma died, but thanks to you and Miss Amaya, I got to have a family again," Casey smiled at them as Dr. Malek moved the blade behind the boy. "Miss Luna, Miss Nala, even Miss Kit! Oh, and Mr. Gregor, too! I''m so happy that I met you guys¨C"

    Casey''s words were cut off as Dr. Malek closed his eyes and plunged the obsidian knife into the boy''s back, right through his chest.

    Sero could only stare in shock as he was numbly aware of Amaya screaming and thrashing against her restraints, her body shuddering as she sobbed uncontrollably. Elizabeth, while more composed, was still choking on the whip around her neck, her face reddening as she struggled for breath.

    Blood gushed from the wound in Casey''s back, pooling beneath him on the cold altar. His lifeless body was supported by Dr. Malek, his head lolling to the side, eyes staring vacantly into nothingness.

    "Casey?" Sero whispered, his voice strangely calm. He saw the other Culling members pull out obsidian knives of their own, plunging it into the backs of the children as the blood began to irregularly stream towards the altar.

    "Thaddeus, go ahead and deal with Amaya and the other woman. I will harvest the Scholar once these children are sacrificed." Dr. Malek nodded towards the other Culling Pillar, who grinned wickedly at the sight of the three.

    Sero''s world began to spin, and he could feel a drumming in his ears as he stared at the slaughter before him. His mind went blank, numb to the horror unfolding before him. He could only vaguely register as Amaya''s struggles grew more frantic, her body thrashing wildly as she fought against her restraints. On the other side, Elizabeth had begun to suffocate as Thaddeus strangled her with the whip.

    Just like before, something inside him snapped.

    These cuffs annoy me.

    Sero calmly gazed down at the bindings on his wrists. They were snug, but not for long.

    "Sero?!" Amaya cried out as he suddenly raised his hands up. Without so much as a sound, he smashed his hands against the altar, over and over, until they were a mangled mess. It was so quick, so unexpected, that even Dr. Malek stared at him in shock.

    Sero got up to his feet, watching as the cuffs slipped off his bloodied stumps. He took a deep breath, feeling the warmth of the blood flowing down his body. The pain was both numbing and unbearable. The noises around him seemed muted, and he could make out Dr. Malek''s orders to the Culling members, figuring the doctor realized what had happened.

    Even though the cuffs had drained a significant portion of the mana he recklessly wasted, Sero didn''t think too much about it as he emulated Lawbreak, restoring his hands and resources without another thought. As the cultist closed around him, Sero simply turned his gaze to Dr. Malek, who frowned in confusion.

    In the next moment, Sero let out a primal roar that stemmed from the depths of his soul, unleashing everything he had at his disposal.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    <hr>

    Amaya had seen Sero lose it before, and the worst was when she witnessed him slaughtering the Culling members back at Dr. Malek''s private practice. But this... what she was seeing was something else entirely.

    As Sero roared, a dark green aura of mana flared forth, engulfing his body and blowing away the cultists that had surrounded him into bloody stumps. Amaya yelped as she was also blown away by the sheer force, catching sight of Elizabeth tumbling in the opposite direction.

    Two dark portals cracked open next to Sero, spitting out two large figures that crashed onto the ground. With a shiver, Amaya realized they seemed to be an older, more sinister version of Moss and Lime. The dragon twins were about the size of bears as they roared at the Culling members.

    13 green explosions fired off in rapid succession, summoning Sero''s entire face card army including Sting. Seconds later, unearthly howls reverberated through the air as another army of bright green spectral reptiles rose from the ground with the face cards; Sero had used Synchronization for the first time, which was strange, considering it only used the reptilian familiars for strength.

    It wasn''t the only skill he used for the first time as Amaya watched dark green fire and lightning cover his body, the signature demonic skills Hellfire and Hellspark. With a jagged and wicked Soul Blade in his hands, Sero roared again, sending his summons to fight as he disappeared from view.

    Amaya watched with fear and awe as he reappeared in front of Dr. Malek, swinging the blade at the doctor''s neck. However, Dr. Malek''s eyes flashed with a wicked energy as several of the children''s corpses flew to take Sero''s sword. The burning green blade quickly sliced through the corpses like butter, but it was just enough time for Dr. Malek to open up a portal.

    "Seems like I''ve miscalculated," Dr. Malek muttered, waving a hand at the ground. Several more corpses and skeletons broke out the earth, stumbling towards Sero. "I need to retreat for now."

    "You''re... a Necromancer?!" Amaya cried out incredulously. "I thought... I assumed you were a Healer!"

    Dr. Malek smiled dryly. "My apologies. It''s a long story, and one that you might not want to hear right now. But yes, I am a Necromancer. However, my true calling has always been healing. I simply..." He shrugged. "I will continue my research, find a way to combine the two. For now, however, it seems I must take my leave."

    Sero roared, quickly cutting through the hordes of undead to reach Dr. Malek. It seemed as if the Scholar was about to catch the doctor before he froze in place.

    "Casey?" Amaya gasped in shock as she saw the boy stand in between Sero and Dr. Malek. But something was off, and Amaya realized that Dr. Malek had used some sort of skill to reanimate Casey''s corpse.

    "A bit distasteful, but necessary," Dr. Malek grimaced as he hopped through the portal, the entrance snapping shut. "I¡¯m no match for Sero¡¯s strength right now, but his emotions are a different story." As soon as Dr. Malek disappeared, Casey''s body and the other undead collapsed, freed from the dark magic.

    Amaya gasped, horrified at what she had just seen. "No..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. She looked at Sero, who was now staring down at Casey''s body, his face twisted in anger and grief. "Sero..." she began, but the words died in her throat as he gave another anguished roar.

    All around them, the Culling members screamed in terror as the reptilian ghosts, face card summons, and the dragon twins slaughtered them with horrifying ease, buffed by the copious amounts of mana Sero supplied them with. The Hellfire and Hellspark that radiated around Sero struck the unfortunate cultists within his range, torturing them as the Scholar ripped them apart with his Soul Blade and mana railguns. Sprays of blood were illuminated by a green sheen as Amaya watched the carnage in fear. The spectral reptiles ignored her, swarming the Culling that were around her.

    "Agh, someone get me to safety!" Thaddeus''s voice caught the attention of Sero, who whirled towards him with an uncharacteristic snarl. The Culling Pillar scrambled backwards, eyes wide with fear. Thaddeus noticed Elizabeth on the ground next to him, and he quickly grasped the end of the whip around her neck.

    "Back off, Scholar! Or this human woman dies!" Thaddeus tugged on the whip around Elizabeth''s neck harder.

    As Sero''s army decimated the Culling members, the Scholar himself narrowed his eyes at Thaddeus. He disappeared from view, reappearing in front of Thaddeus and grabbing him by the neck.

    The whip around Elizabeth''s neck had vanished, giving her the chance to breathe easier as she crawled away from the enormous pressure Sero was exerting. Amaya stumbled over to Elizabeth, and together they managed to distance themselves from the carnage.

    They watched in silent terror as Sero lifted Thaddeus up, squeezing his neck harder. The stray elemental auras combined with Sero''s own mana seared and burned away Thaddeus''s body, causing him to grunt with pain.

    "You''re... too late... Scholar," Thaddeus spat at Sero with a sneer. "Your precious friends and family... it''s all gone... You... you should have... seen it... coming." Sero''s grip tightened, and Thaddeus''s face turned a deep shade of crimson.

    "Th-those to... be culled¨C"

    Sero dispersed his Soul Blade, bringing up a free hand to cover Thaddeus''s mouth. The Culling Pillar''s eyes widened with shock as Sero casted Glassmake, filling his mouth with shards of glass. Thaddeus began to scream, struggling to break free from Sero''s grasp, but it was futile.

    As the last of the Culling was killed by Sero''s army, the Scholar tossed Thaddeus up into the air.

    With a final, unearthly howl, Sero casted a Lightning Bolt down onto Thaddeus. The dark green lightning struck the Culling Pillar''s body with a force so powerful, all of Amaya''s hairs stood on end as she had to avert her eyes from the flash. She should''ve covered her ears as well, because in the next moment, the resulting thunder quaked the room with a deafening bang.

    Disoriented and confused, it took a while for Amaya to realize that Sero was still on edge, his mana and pressure radiating dangerously off of him as he wildly gazed around the room Elizabeth gasped and whimpered from his presence, shakily conjuring her Empress disk and slamming it onto her chest.

    "Sero!" Amaya desperately called out to him. "Please, stop! There''s no one else here but us!"

    Her pleading words fell on deaf ears as Sero''s army mutilated the corpses of the dead, while he himself seemed to struggle with the overwhelming power in his body. He joined his army in mutilating the corpses, an unfocused and crazed look in his eyes.

    Elizabeth gasped as Sero''s mana and pressure grew even stronger, his dark green aura shining brighter and hotter than before. The air around them crackled with energy, the floor rumbling beneath their feet. Amaya realized that even Elizabeth''s A.R.E.S. Unit wouldn''t be able to protect her much longer. She had to do something.

    Amaya shakily got up, preparing herself to charge at Sero when she noticed the tears flowing down his eyes. Even in his rage-induced state, she could tell that he was hurting more than anyone else in the room. "Sero," she called out to him, her voice wavering. "Please, stop. It''s over. You''ve won."

    Her voice seemed to have broken through somewhat, causing Sero to halt in place. Amaya cautiously crept forward, keeping an eye on the ghostly reptiles watching her. Sero tensed as she drew closer, the older Moss and Lime growling softly by his side. The only one who seemed to be of sound mind was Sting, who watched the both of them with a sad look.

    "Hey, Sero," Amaya said softly. "Look at me." Slowly, he turned his head toward her, his unfocused eyes still glistening with tears. She could see the anguish in his face, the pain he was trying to hide. Her own heart ached at the state he was in. She wanted nothing more than to tell him that everything would be okay, that she would help him through this.

    "It''s over now," she continued. "You don''t have to keep fighting. You''re only hurting yourself now." His eyes darted back and forth between her and the ground, his chest heaving with each ragged breath. "You can stop," she urged, taking a step closer.

    The stray elements and his aura burned Amaya''s skin, but she ignored it, stopping right in front of Sero. She looked up into his red eyes, seeing a hint of sanity beneath the madness. "Please stop."

    "I... can''t..." Sero struggled to get the words out, his eyes unfocused with rage. "I need... to protect... I''ve lost... everyone..."

    "No," Amaya shook her head. "You haven''t lost everyone. You''re hurting so much, and I don''t want you to hurt anymore. You''re not alone." Her voice was soft, gentle, and she placed a hand on his shoulder, hoping he wouldn''t push it away.

    Sero tensed at her touch, and for a second, Amaya thought he would lash out at her. But he didn''t, frowning as he tried to make sense of what was happening. "I can''t... stop... feeling lonely..."

    "I know," Amaya replied, her voice soft. "I know it hurts, and I''m sorry for everything you''ve been through. But you don''t have to be alone anymore," the searing pain from Sero''s auras was a dull ache to Amaya as she leaned closer to him. She didn¡¯t know what she was doing, but her instincts took over. "I won''t let you be alone again."

    Before Sero could react, Amaya sealed their lips with a kiss.

 Chapter 93: The End Approaches

    The last thing Sero remembered before blacking out was the painful rage of Casey''s death, so when he came back to his senses, he was not expecting Amaya to be kissing him.

    Her lips were soft and warm against his, and for a moment, it felt like everything was alright. He froze, unsure of what to do, but then he felt her hands on his shoulders, gently pulling him closer. He let himself relax into the kiss, feeling a spark of something new and foreign ignite within him.

    Around them, Sero''s ghostly reptilian army faded away, the face card army dispersed into green dust, and Sting, Moss, and Lime were dismissed. The overwhelming power that had coursed through his body slipped from his body, leaving him weak and drained. But with Amaya''s kiss still lingering on his lips, Sero didn''t mind.

    The Spellblade broke away, shyly glancing at him with a faint blush. "Are you... back to normal, now?"

    Sero nodded, still feeling a little dazed, but relieved that the weight of his power had been lifted. He looked around, taking in their surroundings. Corpses littered the ground, filling the air with the stench of death. Nearby, Elizabeth cautiously stepped up to the pair with a nervous yet slightly jealous look.

    "Everything... alright...?" she asked hesitantly. Sero glanced at her, then back at Amaya. He didn''t know what to say. He felt like he had just been reborn, but the world around them was still a mess.

    Amaya smiled gently at Elizabeth. "I think we''ll be okay now," she said softly. Elizabeth seemed to relax a little at that, but there was still an unmistakable air of jealousy around her. She glanced at Sero and Amaya, unable to hide her curiosity.

    "So, are you guys...?"

    Sero glanced at her, not quite sure what she was asking. Amaya, however, seemed to understand. She placed a hand on his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. "We''re just friends," she said softly.

    Although Elizabeth''s expression didn''t change much, Sero could sense a flicker of relief in her eyes. She nodded slowly, as if trying to convince herself that it was true. "Well, good," she said finally, her voice a little less uncertain. "I''m glad you two have each other."

    However, Sero was left reeling and confused, his Perfect Analysis unable to help him process what had happened. Amaya kissed him... then said they were just friends? He couldn''t make sense of it.

    "Aside from that, we need to find a way out of this chamber," Amaya switched focus. "Sero, I know you can simply teleport us out, but..."

    "Yeah," Sero pushed away his thoughts for now. "We should let the alliance know about this place. And..." He walked over to where Casey''s corpse was, kneeling down to stare at the boy''s lifeless form. "I... we need to take him out of here."

    Amaya moved to stand beside him, her voice soft. "I know," she said, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. "We''ll find a way."

    As they walked around the chamber, searching for a way out, he glanced at Amaya occasionally, trying to discern her feelings through her expression. However, it seemed like she was back to her usual self, calm and collected.

    A while later, Elizabeth gasped as her voice comm crackled to life.

    "Empress? Do you copy?" Jack''s voice emitted from the glowing disk on the chest plate of Elizabeth''s armor.

    Elizabeth frowned, her fingers hovering over the comm button. "Jack? Where are you?" she asked, her voice tense.

    "Me and Yelena are at the location your suit is emitting," Jack''s voice was saturated with static. "Our radars are saying we''re right on top of you. We''ve got a couple members of the alliance here with us too."

    "Is my little bookworm with you, Elizabeth?" Kit''s voice butted in. "Is he safe?"

    "Hey, Kit, I''m safe," Sero called out as he and Amaya jogged over to Elizabeth. "If what Jack''s saying is true, then we might be stuck underground somewhere. Maybe you guys could find an entrance or something down here. Where are you guys?"

    For a moment, there was silence on the other end. Amaya, Elizabeth, and Sero shared a worried look before Jack''s voice came back hesitantly.

    "Uh, that''s the weird part. We''re at the abandoned house. Seems like there was some kind of mechanism or magic that separated the surface and the underground."

    Sero winced as he listened to Jack''s explanation. "Okay, that''s not good. We''ll keep looking for a way out. But Jack, do you have any idea how to get to us?"

    "Negative, dude. Kaizo''s here scanning the area again. That guy seems really upset, like he''s mad at himself for not being able to catch this. Will update y''all soon."

    Sero glanced at Amaya, concern etched on his face. "So, that means... we''re on our own for now?"

    "Well, apart from all the bodies here, we''re not in any danger," Amaya reassured him with a gentle squeeze of his arm. "We''ll find a way out of here. Plus, I think you should rest."

    "She''s right," Elizabeth agreed, nodding at Amaya. "I can''t imagine the toll it took on you to do... all of that."

    Sero opened his mouth to protest, but then closed it. Although he didn''t completely remember his rampage, the memories of what he did were slowly coming back to him. The sickening feeling in stomach was quelled by his Rationality as he silently complied, sitting down on the ground. Due to the Cat Paradox, he was physically fine aside from his exhaustion and mana depletion.

    "Okay."

    Sero leaned against the cold stone wall of the chamber, watching Amaya and Elizabeth as they searched for a way out. The room was eerily silent, save for the distant sounds of the others speaking through their comms. He closed his eyes, trying to rest, but his mind kept racing with thoughts of Casey and what he had done.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    He could still feel the weight of the Soul Blade in his hands as he recalled how easily it cleaved through the Culling members and reanimated corpses alike. It was almost as if they were made of paper, shredding beneath the razor-sharp blade. The power he had felt was intoxicating, but it was tempered by the guilt that came with it. The most worrying part was the fact that his Rationality didn''t stop his rage. In fact, it was almost as if it encouraged it, but that didn''t make sense. The passive was supposed to keep him calm and collected, not drive him into a killing frenzy.

    Sero hadn''t realized he''d fallen asleep until he was gently nudged awake by Amaya.

    "Hey, Sero, wake up! The alliance found us."

    Sero opened his eyes, blinking several times to adjust to the light streaming in from above. He looked around, disoriented for a moment before recognizing Amaya and Elizabeth beside him. Ascendants were rushing around, carefully extracting the corpses of Culling members and the kidnapped children. Kaizo and Meredith were taking charge, instructing them on what to do.

    "Casey!" Sero dazedly leapt to his feet, running over to where Casey''s body was.

    "Wait, Sero!" Amaya called after him as she followed close behind, Elizabeth struggling to catch up. "It''s ok, they''ll take care of his body!"

    Sero didn''t answer, his eyes still fixed on Casey''s lifeless form as he reached it. He felt a strange mixture of emotions welling up inside of him; anger, guilt, despair. He dropped to his knees next to the boy''s body, gently touching his face.

    "I''m sorry, Casey," Sero whispered, his voice cracking. "I didn''t mean to... I shouldn''t have..." He choked back a sob, his hands trembling as they touched the boy''s bloodied shirt. "I should have protected you... I should have found a way..."

    Elizabeth gently placed a hand on Sero''s shoulder, offering what comfort she could. "We all did what we could, Sero. There was no way we could have known what they were planning."

    Sero looked up at her, tears streaming down his face. He wanted to believe her, but a small voice in the back of his head kept repeating the same words over and over: You should have found a way. You should have protected him. He wiped his face with the back of his hand, trying to compose himself.

    "I know," Sero smiled weakly, his Rationality steadying his nerves. "It''s just... hard." He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stand. "We should go. The others will want to know what happened."

    <hr>

    As it turns out, Kaizo had found a runic symbol underneath the abandoned house, which served as a gateway to the underground chamber that they were in. However, the conditions needed to activate the portal required an injection of the dark energy from a banished god. Due to this, it made sense that Sero and the others couldn''t detect it, since energies and magic hailing from the banished were almost completely hidden from the attention of Ascendants.

    Upon learning this, Kaizo simply called over Kit, who immediately bypassed the conditions and forcibly opened the gateway to the underground.

    The moment Sero and the others walked out into the evening, he was caught in the arms of Kit, who squeezed him tightly.

    "Oh my god, I''m so glad you''re safe!" the Paradox cried, her mismatched eyes etched with concern. "Why do you keep getting into situations like this?"

    "It''s not my fault!" Sero protested, laughing weakly. "It just sort of happens." He slumped his shoulders, still thinking about Casey. "I couldn''t do more."

    Kit fell silent, squeezing Sero a bit tighter. "I know," she murmured in his ear. "It''s not your fault, my little bookworm. Things like this always happen, whether we expect it or not."

    "Thanks, Kit," Sero managed a small smile as they broke apart. "So...what''s next?"

    "Well, judging by what Amaya and Elizabeth said, we can assume that the Culling is planning on bringing a Catastrophe over," Kaizo approached the group with a grim expression, "which means we need to find a way to stop them. But first, we should regroup at the association. We can discuss our next move once we''re there."

    The Archivist paused and glanced at Sero for a moment. "Are you feeling well?"

    "I''m fine," Sero replied, understanding the undertones of the question. "Just...tired."

    "You don''t have to participate in the meeting if you need to rest," Kaizo offered quietly.

    "No, it''s fine," Sero said, forcing a smile. "I''ll be okay." He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "Let''s go."

    As everyone left to head to the Ascendants Association, Sero couldn''t help but feel squeamish as he followed them. There were a lot of things on his mind, such as the way his Rationality seemed to encourage his frenzy, or how it immediately reasoned the horrors he had seen and done. But the biggest and most unnerving thought in his mind was the fact that despite not being able to copy skills that those who were serving that banished gods could use, there was one skill that he was able to copy in his rage.

    For some reason, Sero had copied the ''Resurrect'' skill from Dr. Malek, right before he got away.

    <hr>

    The rest of the Pentagram leaders and the Janitors were already waiting in the conference room when Sero and the others walked in.

    Sero took a seat directly across the table from Dante, who narrowed his eyes at him. To Dante''s left were Meredith and Ione; on the right sat J''takk and Kaizo. Gregor, Enzo, Cassandra, Max, and Gwyndolyn filled the other seats as Amaya and Kit sat on either side of Sero. Elizabeth stood behind the group, flanked by Jack and Yelena.

    "All right, everyone," Dante began. "I''m assuming everyone''s up to speed, but I want to hear things from Sero." His eyes glowed neon green, casting Unbreakable Oath that was immediately nullified by Sero''s Rationality. "If you would, Sero."

    Sero took a deep breath before recounting everything that had happened when he and the two women got to the abandoned house. He choked up when he reached the part of Casey''s death and Amaya had to step in to fill in the details. She downplayed Sero''s resulting rampage, much to his gratitude, and Elizabeth finished with her report of the aftermath.

    The room was silent for a long moment when they finished. Dante''s expression was unreadable, but there was something in the set of his jaw that made Sero feel like he was in trouble. Finally, the Sin Reaper spoke. "I see. Well, it seems we have a new development. Sero, I want you to know that what you did there was reckless and foolish. You could have endangered all of us. Do you understand? This is why we agreed to keep you out of things."

    Sero gritted his teeth. "Yeah... I get it."

    "Wait, but if it wasn''t for Sero, we wouldn''t have known all of this," Enzo scowled, glaring at Dante.

    "At the cost of many lives, yeah? Think that''s still a good thing, mate?" J''takk countered, kicking up her boots on the table. "One of the kids was his friend, right?"

    Enzo bared his teeth but didn''t argue. Sero appreciated the Demonic Judge''s defense, but they were right. If Sero hadn''t pushed the investigation, maybe Casey would''ve been able to hold out for a little longer. Hell, if Sero had been prepared at all, maybe they could''ve saved Casey.

    "Regardless, I believe that there is still good to come out of this," Gregor interjected in an attempt to ease the tension. "It is heartbreaking to have lost so many innocent lives, but we now have an idea of what Culling is planning next. Hopefully they will not require another mass slaughter, but we cannot be too complacent."

    "Agreed," Dante said with a sigh. "It seems our hands are tied for now. The investigation is ongoing, and we must be cautious not to tip off Culling. However, we can''t just sit idly by either." He paused, glancing at Sero before continuing. "Whether or not your stumbling upon that sacrificial chamber was good or bad, the fact still remains that lives were lost today, and an important figure within Culling has escaped. The other was slain from what I assume was blind rage," the Sin Reaper glared pointedly.

    "So what do we do now?" Kit asked quietly, looking around the table. "How do we move forward from this?"

    "Everything we''ve been doing," Kaizo replied with a heavy tone. "At this point, all we can really do is just prepare ourselves for the aftermath when Culling summons the Catastrophe."

 Chapter 94: A Long-Awaited Conclusion

    After the meeting, they all went their separate ways for the night. Once again, Kit was reluctantly forced to work with the Janitors to coordinate their patrols of the 25th Zone, leaving Sero alone with Elizabeth and Amaya.

    Ever since he and Amaya kissed in the chamber, there had been a weird, almost awkward tension between them and Elizabeth. It was as if they were all walking on eggshells, afraid to say or do the wrong thing.

    Sero was surprised to sense the bit of jealousy from Elizabeth, considering he assumed his attraction to her was one-sided. On the other hand, even after the intimate moment he and Amaya had shared, the fact that she continued to label them as friends made him wonder if the kiss meant nothing at all. Sure, it helped snap him out of whatever it was he was going through, but did that mean anything more?

    "What are you planning to do now, Sero?" Elizabeth asked, causing Amaya to sneak a glance at him.

    "I don''t know," he admitted. "I just want to keep looking for a way to stop Culling, even though there''s nothing to go off of. Maybe I''ll just rest at my penthouse for tonight."

    "Do you want company?"

    "I can drive you back!"

    Sero blinked, caught off guard by both Elizabeth and Amaya. He couldn''t help but feel a little embarrassed by their offers. "Um... sure?"

    The women glanced at each for a moment, and Sero swore he sensed some kind of silent competition between them. It was a strange feeling, and he wasn''t quite sure how to react. Finally, Elizabeth spoke up. "I''ll... I''ll see you both later. I need to go home and... talk to my family about things."

    She stood up, nodding stiffly in their direction, and then walked away, leaving Amaya and Sero alone. Amaya took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "Look, Sero... I''m sorry if I... if I made things awkward between us. I shouldn''t have kissed you like that. It was just... I was just trying to help you snap out of it."

    Sero didn''t reply for a moment, watching as Elizabeth disappeared from sight. He sighed and turned to Amaya.

    "Want to go back to my penthouse so we can talk about it?"

    <hr>

    Night had fallen by the time Amaya had driven them both back to Sero''s place. They were silent during the entire car ride and up the elevator. Finally, when both of them entered his penthouse, they plopped on the couch, facing away from each other.

    Exhaustion had settled into his body, and he was certain Amaya was feeling tired as well. He hadn¡¯t eaten all day, but the events earlier was still fresh in his mind, ruining his appetite.

    "You want anything to drink?" Sero finally broke the silence.

    "Yeah, that''d be great. I think something strong would do the trick, something that''d help us forget what happened today," Amaya replied with a sad smile.

    Sero nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a pair of glasses and a bottle of liquor. They began to drink, lapsing back into silence.

    "Look, Sero, about what happened back there..." Amaya started, her voice uncertain as the alcohol began to take effect.

    Sero stopped her with a hand, shaking his head. "First, I just want to thank you for snapping me out of it. Who knows what else I could''ve done?"

    She turned to look at him, a small smile on her lips. "It''s okay. I''m just glad I could help."

    "But, now I want a semi-straight answer from you. It doesn''t have to be the whole thing, but it does have to give me some sense of what you''re feeling," Sero continued, gazing into her blue eyes. "Last we spoke, you were still uncertain about your feelings for me because we might just be under the influence of all the shit that''s been happening to us. I understand that you don''t want us to jump into anything that might end up badly in the future, but for me, that''s a risk I''m wanting to take."

    Amaya paused for a moment, considering her words carefully. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, whether from her emotions or the alcohol, Sero couldn''t tell. "I... I don''t know. Since we kissed, I can''t deny that there''s something there. Something between us. It''s just... it''s complicated. I don''t want to lead you on, or make things weird between us, but at the same time, I don''t want to ignore it either."

    "Then, I''ll be blunt," Sero calmly replied. "I honestly think that I''ve fallen for you for real. And I won''t lie, I''ve been feeling this way towards Elizabeth as well. I think the reason why I haven''t tried to explore anything with her is that I keep holding onto hope for... us."

    Amaya bit her lower lip, clearly taken aback by his words. "I-I don''t know what to say..."

    Sero took a long sip from his glass, feeling the warmth of the liquor spread through his chest. He put the glass down, finally looking Amaya straight in the eye. "I get that my emotional stability isn''t in the best shape right now, so pursuing romance might not be a good idea. But I really think that getting some sorta closure or answer in this area would help lessen the weight on my mind."

    She looked at him for a moment, her expression softening. "I... I''m just scared. We''ve both lost so much. When Casey... when someone I care so much about is suddenly ripped away from me, I just get so terrified of letting someone in again. I don''t want to feel that; I hate feeling that. I know you''ve felt that too, and that''s why maybe I started seeing you differently. You know that feeling better than anyone else, and I found myself comforted by the fact that someone else shares my experiences."

    Amaya trailed off, her words beginning to slur. Sero was faintly surprised to realize the intoxication was hitting him quickly too. It made sense; after all, they had endured so much within the day.

    "I get it," Sero murmured, glancing at his cup. "You''re scared that by letting me in, there''s a chance you could lose me too."

    "Especially since you''ve been on the verge of death a couple of times. Not to mention your state of mind and emotion." Amaya replied quietly with a dry smile.

    Sero smiled back at her. "You make a good point. I guess I can''t exactly expect you to just dive into something with me. Plus, I have a feeling it''d be uncomfortable for you at first, since I''m the one who''s fallen in love with you." Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    "Sero... you idiot," Amaya mumbled, gazing down at her hands. "Why did I expect anything less?"

    "Pardon?" Sero leaned in closer to her. "What''d you say?"

    Before he could react, Amaya lifted her face, pressing her lips softly against his.

    Surprised, Sero''s mind went blank as he registered what was happening. As soon as he comprehended the situation, Amaya pulled away, her face flushed underneath the moonlight.

    "Who said I haven''t fallen in love with you, either?" The Spellblade replied softly with a small smile.

    "I just... I thought you... I mean," Sero stammered, still a bit stunned. "I mean, I thought you were still trying to make sense of your feelings."

    "I still am," Amaya admitted with a small laugh, her cheeks still flushed. "But I can''t deny it anymore. I''ve... I''ve fallen in love with you too. After that night we cuddled, I realized how much I missed having someone else to comfort me."

    "But... what about Enzo?"

    Amaya gave a small snort. "It was just a work-place crush. Enzo was the one who realized it first, and he simply gave me the space to figure out my feelings. He told me he''s interested in women stronger than him anyway."

    "He said that?" Sero asked, a little surprised. "I can''t imagine anyone stronger than him."

    Amaya smiled, her cheeks still red. "That''s why I knew it was just a work-place crush. He''s always been so self-deprecating. But I''m glad I got to know you better. You''re... you''re the strongest person I know, Sero. You''ve been through so much, and yet you keep going. You keep fighting."

    Her words seemed to hang in the air as they looked at each other, the connection between them growing stronger with each passing moment. The alcohol, the pain, the loss... all of it faded into the background as they focused on the here and now, on the person in front of them.

    "Are you going to regret this?" Sero asked, his mind becoming hazy. "I still have the same habits back when you first met me."

    "Probably," Amaya replied with a wry smile. "But you''re still you. And I think I''d rather have the bad with the good."

    "So... what are you saying?" Sero whispered.

    "I''m saying that for now... let''s take things slow. If we somehow manage to make it through whatever Culling plans to throw at the world..." Amaya trailed off, taking a deep breath. "Let''s see where we stand after that. Deal?"

    "I''m... fine with that," Sero replied, his voice barely a whisper. He knew where she was coming from. They had been through too much together already; it would be impossible to ignore their feelings for each other any longer. But it was also not a time where they could be carefree or rash. The world was still out there, and it needed them.

    Amaya gently pushed Sero backwards onto the couch, burying her face in his chest. He responded by wrapping his arms around her, cuddling together for the second time.

    "You reek of sweat," she murmured, inhaling deeply. "And blood."

    "So do you," Sero mumbled, his breath warm against her ear. "We never got the chance to wash up, after all."

    "We can clean tomorrow," Amaya mumbled into his chest. "I''m too tired to do anything right now."

    She could feel Sero''s heartbeat slowing down, matching her own. His breathing became deeper and more regular as sleep claimed him. She rested her head on his shoulder, listening to the sound of his heart, feeling the warmth of his body. The moonlight streaming in through the window cast a soft, eerie glow across the room, making everything seem almost surreal.

    <hr>

    The next morning, Sero awoke on his couch, realizing that Amaya was no longer in his arms. For a moment, he thought that she had left without a word, but then his bedroom door opened, and out stepped the Spellblade wearing a simple white shirt that was a bit oversized for her. With a towel wrapped around her head, Amaya looked absolutely stunning.

    "There''s the ''good'' to my morning," Sero blurted without thinking.

    Instead of the scowl Sero expected Amaya to have, she simply chuckled, pulling the towel off her head and tossing it in his face.

    "Definitely didn''t miss that," Amaya remarked as she walked to the kitchen. "You should wash up."

    "I''ll get to that," Sero replied, still lying on the couch. He propped himself up on one elbow, watching as she busied herself with making breakfast. The sight of her moving so gracefully, even as she cooked, filled him with a warmth that he hadn''t felt in a long time.

    "Sero..." Amaya finally scowled without looking at him. "We''re not officially dating yet. Stop gawking at me and go shower."

    He groaned, rolling his eyes before standing up. "Fine, fine. I''ll get to that," he muttered, trudging to the bathroom. While he was gone, she busied herself with making breakfast. Eggs and toast were sizzling on the stove, and the smell of coffee filled the air. Sero returned to the living room a few minutes later, still yawning and rubbing a towel through his hair. Amaya had set the table with breakfast, idly tapping away on her phone on the couch. She glanced at Sero as he took a seat next to her.

    "Hey- Aren''t you going to put on a shirt?!" Amaya blushed as she glanced away.

    "Huh? Why should I? It''s my place, and it''s not like you''ve never seen me shirtless."

    "Yeah, but..." Amaya sighed, still unable to face. "I just feel a little weird about it, that''s all. You know, with... everything." She gestured vaguely between them.

    "Ugh, fine, I''ll put on a shirt," Sero grumbled, beginning to stand up, but Amaya grabbed his wrist.

    "Actually, it''s fine..." the Spellblade hesitantly turned towards him. "Your body''s gotten... better-looking."

    Sero''s eyes twitched. "Are you saying you thought my body was never that good-looking until now?"

    "No! I mean..." Amaya''s face flushed even deeper. "It''s not like you''ve gotten huge muscles or anything. You just... look... better."

    Sero sat back down with a scowl. "Only because of all the fighting I''ve had to go through."

    Amaya smiled wryly. "Well, it''s not like you didn''t have time to work out. And it''s not like you don''t deserve it." She paused, looking away for a moment before meeting his gaze again. "You''re... you''re not half-bad to look at."

    "Wait, you fell in love with me even though you thought I was ugly?"

    Amaya laughed, rolling her eyes. "I never said you were ugly. But you weren''t exactly my type, either. It wasn''t until... until we spent so much time together that I started to see... you know." She paused, fidgeting with her fingers. "You''re a good person, Sero, personality aside. And you''re strong, too, in ways that have nothing to do with your muscles." She took a deep breath, meeting his gaze again. "You''re the kind of person who deserves to be happy."

    "Ah, thanks, I guess." Sero scratched the back of his head.

    They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes. The food was delicious, and Sero couldn''t help but feel grateful to have someone like Amaya in his life. She was so much more than just a pretty face or a good cook; she was smart, strong, and kind. She''d been through so much herself, and yet she''d never given up on him or herself.

    "Champion!"

    Aphiel''s sudden voice in his head caused Sero to jump and choke on the eggs and toast. Amaya glanced at him with a surprised look.

    "You okay?"

    "Uh, yeah," Sero coughed, taking a sip of his coffee. "My Sponsor just contacted me."

    "Oh," Amaya nodded understandingly. "Do you need to meet her?"

    "Yes, champion, this is urgent!"

    "Seems like it," Sero grimaced, standing up. "Sorry to leave you so soon, Amaya."

    The liaison shook her head, smiling at him. "It''s fine. I knew things like this would happen with you. Go and meet with her. I''ll be at the Ascendants Association when you get back."

    Sero nodded, thanked her, and then went to his room to put on a shirt before willing himself to appear before the goddess.

 Chapter 95: Intermission, Intervention, Information

    "Say that again."

    Sero stood in disbelief, staring at Aphiel sitting on her bed. The goddess twiddled her thumbs nervously, unable to meet Sero''s gaze.

    "Um... the gods have noticed that the highest concentration of the banished gods'' energy is located in what you call the 25th Zone," Aphiel began. "The problem is, this revelation was brought to light when the council realized that it arose after... you started to grow in fame."

    Sero walked over Aphiel''s desk, taking a seat on her chair.

    "So," he swallowed hard. "You don''t mean to say that all of this is because of me... do you?"

    The goddess tittered nervously. "Do you remember yourself proclaiming that your existence would cause things to happen?"

    "Because of Perfect Recall, I do," Sero groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Please, tell me I didn''t jinx everything."

    "I understand how you feel, champion. The truth is, even if you did not arrogantly state such things, I believe I told you that your Class was bestowed upon you by a higher being for reasons that elude even the wisest of the gods."

    Sero looked up, still not looking particularly convinced. "But what does this have to do with me now?"

    "Even if you had chosen different paths after I brought you back to Earth, this would have still occurred. Your existence is an anomaly, seeing as your abilities are far beyond what a human, or god for that matter, should be able to handle."

    "Alright, so my Class and abilities are broken and overpowered, I got that already," Sero made a face. "You saying that because of that incredible potential, different powers are just drawn to me? Like how Culling wants my skills to make everyone equal?"

    Aphiel closed her eyes, frowning. "I am not sure the best way to explain this, but champion... while I was searching for answers behind the wicked presence and archaic artifacts used recently, I was able to find more information behind your unique Class."

    Sero raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

    "It was only a limited amount of information, but after searching through the Divine Codices, I discovered the record of a Class that contained tidbits of your Class. However, its name was... unpleasant to learn."

    Sero''s eyes widened as he leaned in. "What was it called?"

    The goddess bit her lip. Sero could see the troubled look in Aphiel''s eyes as she took a deep breath.

    "The Godslayer."

    Sero froze. A chill ran down his spine. "You mean... I''m the Godslayer?"

    "No, no," Aphiel shook her head quickly. "The Godslayer is a different Class, but it had information pertaining to the Scholar. In fact, alongside the Godslayer and the Scholar, there is another Class that is grouped with the prior two, collectively known as the Trio Primor."

    "The Trio Primor...?" Sero repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "What do you mean, grouped together?"

    "In mortal terms, the information I acquired from the Divine Codices was barely enough to fit a page of a book," Aphiel explained. "The records of the Godslayer dictated its abilities, but it also contained information about your Scholar Class as well as the last Class. The last of the Trio Primor is called the Concept."

    Sero''s eyes widened. "The Concept...?"

    "It was not much, but I was able to learn that the Trio Primor were originally titles given to divine beings. The Concept was the creator, the one who breathed life into everything you and I know to be. The Godslayer was the law, the power that destroyed and ensured death balanced the cosmic scales. Finally, the Scholar was in charge of preservation, amassing histories and knowledge of everything in the universe."

    "So.. that''s who I am? I''m supposed to keep track of everything in the world?"

    Aphiel shook her head. "That was the duty of the being before you, champion. Your Class is nowhere near as omnipotent as your predecessor, but it does explain a few things."

    "Like what?"

    "Why the banished have gathered their forces in your area. The Scholar is a being that naturally draws in everything for the purpose of preservation and record-keeping. Thankfully, it appears that your Class is the only one that has Ascended so far. Imagine the imbalance that would occur had there been a Godslayer or Concept that Ascended."

    Sero frowned, thinking about it. "So you''re saying that because I''m the only Scholar out there, I attract the attention of powerful beings that don''t belong here?"

    The goddess nodded. "Precisely. Why do you suppose such strong champions are also around you?"

    "That... makes sense." Sero murmured, still thinking. "So I''m kind of like the center of this weird cosmic tug-of-war, huh?"

    Aphiel nodded. "Indeed. It is a dangerous position to be in, but one that you have proven yourself capable of handling thus far. If it makes you feel any better, this would have happened to someone else, had they Ascended as a Scholar instead of you."

    "It... does and doesn''t at the same time," Sero sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I appreciate your support, Aphiel, but I feel like I''m just getting started. There''s still so much I don''t know, and every time I think I''ve made some progress, something else comes up to throw me off course. Speaking of which, do you know any more about my Rationality passive?"Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Aphiel tilted her head. "What is it that you wish to know more about?"

    Sero hesitated before telling the goddess how he felt that something, not necessarily his Rationality, had encouraged his frenzy instead of calming him down.

    "Well, you see, there are times when I feel like my Rationality should help me keep my cool, you know? Like, when I''m about to lose control, or when something really bad happens, it should be able to tell me to calm down or give me a fresh perspective, right? But it doesn''t always work like that. Sometimes, it feels like it does the opposite. It makes me more... irrational, I guess."

    The goddess''s face fell. "Champion... you may be experiencing what mortals call a ''mental breakdown''."

    "Uh, I know what that is, and I''m pretty sure I haven''t. Yet."

    "Perhaps that was not the best term to use, but Rationality is not a passive to rely on to temper your emotions. In fact, I believe that Rationality''s original purpose as far as the first Scholar was to further enhance comprehension, not regulation."

    Aphiel paused, considering her next words carefully. "Champion, have you considered the possibility that your Rationality may be influencing you in ways you have not considered? Even a divine being such as myself cannot always remain level-headed in dire situations. I think... you may be dangerously manipulating your emotions. It would explain the dissonance you appear to be feeling, as well as your recent behaviors."

    Sero frowned, thinking about what Aphiel had said. "You might be right," he muttered. "I mean, when I think about it, I''ve kind of been using my Rationality as a crutch, you know? Like, if something really bad happens, I just tell myself it''s not that bad and I''ll be okay, and I don''t really feel anything. But maybe I''m just avoiding the emotions I should be feeling."

    The goddess nodded. "That is a possibility. However, it is also important to remember that not all emotions are negative. There is such a thing as healthy anger, for example. It can drive you to fight for what is right and just. It is when those emotions become unchecked and self-destructive that they become a problem."

    Sero considered this, thinking back to the rage that had consumed him during the battle with the dragon. "You''re right. I mean, when I''m angry, I feel like I can do anything, you know? Like nothing can stop me. But then there are other times when I''m just so exhausted, or sad, or scared, that I don''t want to feel anything at all. It''s like I just want to shut everything out."

    "That is a common reaction among mortals, especially those who have been through traumatic experiences. However, it is important to acknowledge and process those emotions, even if they are unpleasant. Bottling them up can lead to further emotional distress and potentially harmful behaviors."

    Sucking in a deep breath, Sero let it out slowly, glancing back down at his hands. "Sounds like I need to go to therapy," he muttered with a dry laugh.

    Aphiel smiled sympathetically. "I cannot recommend it highly enough, champion. In fact, I can arrange for you to meet with a trusted mortal therapist, if you wish. They may be able to help you navigate these emotional waters more effectively."

    "No, it was a joke- never mind." Sero said quickly, not wanting to actually go to therapy. "I''ll... figure it out, I guess." He paused, looking up at the goddess. "Thanks for talking to me, Aphiel. You''re always there when I need you."

    "Not a problem, champion," Aphiel replied with a gentle smile. "You are always welcome to talk to me, and I am always here to help you. Just remember that acknowledging and dealing with your emotions is an important part of being human. It may not always be easy, but it will make you a stronger, more resilient individual."

    "Yeah, I''ll keep that in mind," Sero said, standing up and stretching. "I guess I should get back."

    Aphiel gave him an adorable wave goodbye before Sero willed himself back to his apartment, finding Amaya gone already. The afternoon had settled in, the sky a soft blue that seemed to bleed into the edges of the world. He flopped down onto his bed, feeling the familiar creak of the frame beneath him.

    "Oh, shit," Sero muttered, snapping his fingers and calling forth Moss and Lime.

    The twin dragons burst forth, noticeably bigger than before. Instead of being the size of puppies, they were now as big as a full-grown dog, still possessing the same feathery down in their respective shades of green. They circled around Sero, their wings fluttering lazily as they sniffed the air and made happy squeaking noises.

    "Jeez, you guys grew bigger out of nowhere," Sero remarked, scratching the back of his head as he studied them. "Did my rampage force you two to grow?"

    The dragons squeaked happily, circling around him before coming to a stop on either side of him. Moss nuzzled against Sero''s side, while Lime climbed up onto his chest, curling her tail around his arm. They both looked up at him with their big, round emerald eyes.

    "Lime," Sero gasped for breath. "You''re a bit too heavy to be laying on me now."

    The little dragon just cocked her head to the side and squeaked, as if she didn''t understand. Sero chuckled, scratching her under the chin. "Well, I guess that''s okay. You''re still small enough to be cuddly." He glanced over at Moss, who was still nuzzling against his side. "And you, Moss, you''re just the right size. Good girl."

    He took a deep breath, enjoying the feel of their soft fur against his skin. He closed his eyes, allowing the warmth from their bodies to soothe him. The tension in his muscles began to ease, and he found himself drifting off to sleep.

    <hr>

    Once again, Sero shouted in pain as he felt Lime use his body as a launching pad, albeit much harsher this time as the dragon was now an adolescent. The twin dragons raced to the door, barking happily as Sero heard another knock.

    "Sero?" Amaya''s voice from the other side caused his heart to skip a beat.

    "Uh, y-yeah, I''m coming!" Sero called out, scrambling to his feet. He winced as he felt the pain from Lime''s launch still coursing through his body, but he ignored it and hurried to the door, not wanting to keep Amaya waiting any longer. When he opened it, she was standing there with a soft smile, her silver hair flowing over her shoulders. She had changed out of her liaison attire, opting for black leggings and a simple gray t-shirt.

    "Were you asleep all day?" Amaya asked with a playful grin. "You never texted me back during my shift."

    "I was..." Sero replied, trailing off as he noticed the time, nearly an hour before sunset. "Shit, I didn''t realize it was that late."

    "It''s okay," Amaya shook her head. "I know you''ve been having a pretty rough time lately, so it''s understandable that you''d need to catch up on some rest. Have you eaten at all since breakfast this morning?"

    Sero rubbed the back of his neck, feeling guilty. "No, not really."

    "Then do you want to grab dinner with me?"

    "An offer to dine with a beauty like you? Of course," Sero grinned, stepping out of the doorway to let her in. Amaya glanced around and gave the two dragons a curious look before sitting down on the couch. "They''ve gotten pretty big, haven''t they?"

    "Oh, yeah. I guess something happened to them when I... lost control..." Sero glanced away.

    The pair lapsed into silence before Amaya gave a reassuring smile.

    "Well, let''s forget about that for now. What are you hungry for?"

    Sero shrugged. "I don''t really care. You pick."

 Chapter 96: Fleeting Happiness

    The pair ended up at a cozy Italian restaurant not far from Sero''s apartment. The scent of garlic and basil filled the air as they were seated at a quiet corner table. Amaya glanced around the place, admiring the dim lighting and romantic atmosphere.

    "This place is lovely," she commented. "Perfect for a date."

    "Oh? So, you''re saying we''re officially dating now?" Sero smirked.

    "No," Amaya scowled. "I told you to quit that. Just because we... admitted our feelings to each other doesn''t mean that we should start with the labels."

    Their waiter came over and took their drink orders. As he walked away, Sero leaned in close to Amaya, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "So, what exactly did you want to talk about over dinner, my lovely date?"

    "You''re seriously making me regret this," Amaya huffed, but couldn''t help the small smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. "Fine. We can talk about your well-being. How''s that for an official date topic?"

    "Uh, no-go," Sero said, laughing. "I mean, sure, we can talk about that, but you didn''t really have to bring me here to do it. You could''ve just texted or called me or something. Besides, I feel like I''ve been a burden to you lately."

    "Don''t say that," Amaya replied, reaching across the table to take his hand. "You know you''re not a burden to me. I care about you, Sero. I''ve always cared about you." She paused, searching for the right words. "Well, the concern for you is different now than it was when we first met, but still."

    Sero smiled, squeezing her hand gently. "I appreciate that. I really do. I know I''ve been... distant lately, and I haven''t been the best company, but I want you to know that I do enjoy being with you."

    Amaya blushed, pulling away as she avoided his gaze. "See, why can''t you be like this more often instead of your usual lecherous side?"

    They shared a laugh, and then the waiter returned with their drinks. As they sipped their wine, they chatted about work, movies, and music, easily falling into a comfortable rhythm. Sero found himself feeling more relaxed and at ease with Amaya than he had in weeks.

    "So," Amaya said, setting her wine glass down. "I know it''s a heavy topic, but the alliance has become more rigid in their countermeasures against Culling."

    Sero didn''t reply for a moment, gazing down at his food. "Did they come up with anything new? Besides just preparing for the aftermath of whatever the Culling plans to unleash?"

    "Well, they''ve managed to locate a few more people with ties to the Culling," Amaya explained. "But they''re all very low-level, just regular citizens. They''re trying to find a way to get more information from them, but it''s proving difficult. The Culling has been very careful about keeping their secrets hidden."

    Sero frowned. "That''s a shame. I mean, it''s good that they''re making progress, but it''s just frustrating that we still don''t know anything concrete. Besides the imminent arrival of a Catastrophe. By the way, it feels kinda weird that we''re out on a date while the threat of the end of the world could happen at any second."

    Amaya smiled. "I know, right? But I''m trying to live in the moment and enjoy our time together. And besides, if the world does end, at least we can say we had a nice last meal together."

    "Hold on, don''t jinx it," Sero made a face. "I finally got you to admit you have feelings for me, and I don''t want things to end so soon."

    They both laughed, and the tension between them seemed to dissipate a little. Sero found himself enjoying the warmth of Amaya''s hand in his, and the way she looked at him when she smiled. It was a peaceful moment, and he didn''t want it to end.

    <hr>

    After dinner, the two of them drunkenly teleported back to Sero''s penthouse, laughing and stumbling the whole way. Once inside, they collapsed on the couch, still holding hands. Sero reached over and switched on the TV, flipping through the channels until they landed on a black and white film from the twentieth century. They watched in silence for a while, lost in the nostalgia of a bygone era.

    "Hey, Amaya?"

    She glanced over at him, her expression soft and content. "Hmm?"

    "I was just wondering... out of all the things you could''ve done to snap me out of my frenzy... why''d you go for a kiss?"

    Amaya blushed, looking away for a moment before turning back to him. "I just... I wanted to see if there was anything there. If there was any chance that you might feel something besides the need to cut down the Culling. And I thought that if I kissed you, it would be less... aggressive. Less like an attack. It was just a way to see if you could feel something other than anger."

    Sero considered her words for a moment, then reached up and gently traced her lips with his finger. "And did you find out anything?"

    She smiled, her gaze locked with his. "I found out that I like you, Sero. A lot more than I thought."

    The Spellblade leaned in, giving Sero a quick kiss. He could feel the warmth of her lips on his, the softness of her skin, the way her body seemed to melt into his. It was a moment of pure connection, a brief respite from the turmoil that had engulfed them both.

    "Let''s get some rest," Amaya chuckled. "I''m pretty drunk and... I don''t want to embarrass myself." She giggled, lying down on the couch. Sero smiled and nodded, feeling the warmth of the alcohol in his blood and the weight of exhaustion pulling at his eyelids.

    "Don''t fall asleep here, Amaya, I''ve got a bed," Sero whispered, his voice already sounding heavy with sleep. She gave a small laugh, the sound muffled by the couch cushions. "I''m just... enjoying the moment. I think I''m too tired to move right now."This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Not quite believing the situation himself, Sero scooped Amaya up into his arms, carrying her to his bed. He tucked her in, slipping underneath the covers and pulling her close in his arms.

    She sighed contentedly, nestling her head into the crook of his neck. Her breath tickled his skin, sending shivers down his spine. He could feel her heartbeat, steady and strong against his own chest. As he stared up at the ceiling, lost in the soft rhythm of her breathing, he couldn''t help but marvel at the strange turn of events.

    <hr>

    The next morning, Sero awoke to the ringing of both his and Amaya''s cellphones. He glanced over at her, still sound asleep in his bed, and reached for his phone on the bedside table.

    "Hello?" he croaked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

    "Sero? You still asleep?" It was Enzo. Sero glanced at the clock; it was almost noon. "Wake your ass up and head over to the association. There''s an emergency meeting right now."

    Sero''s heart skipped a beat. He glanced over at Amaya again, her features soft and peaceful in sleep. He wondered if he should wake her. She''d probably want to know what was going on.

    "Is that Amaya''s ringtone in the background?" The Demonic Judge asked, sounding curious and amused. "Surprised you two got together so quickly. I made a bet with Kit and said it would''ve taken longer for you two to start dating-"

    Sero growled, glancing back at Amaya. He considered waking her up, but decided against it. "Look, Enzo, I''ll be there as soon as I can. What''s going on?"

    "Right, well, long story short, the old man is taking the rest of the Janitors ''cept me and Max- I don''t know why he thought that was a good idea- to the northern Zones above the 25th. Apparently there''s been a surge of outbreaks, but none of them were as devastating as the one that happened here. Some of the alliance heads went to check on the eastern and western Zones, so it''s just Meredith and Dante here. Oh, and that Empress woman."

    Sero frowned. He hadn''t expected Enzo to be so brief. "So why the emergency meeting?"

    "Why do you think? It''s because Dante wants to organize the remaining forces here," Enzo paused for a moment. "And also... he wants to make sure you understand that you need to stay here and keep low."

    Sero frowned again. "What do you mean? Is he thinking I''ll just run into danger blindly?"

    "Do you really want me to answer that?"

    "No," Sero scowled, carefully climbing out of bed. "I get that I don''t have the best track record right now, but I wouldn''t just run out to go fight."

    "I know you well enough that you wouldn''t, but the rest don''t. Just get your ass over as soon as you can. Bring Amaya with you, too."

    "Got it, Teach. I''ll be there." Sero hung up the phone, still feeling a little confused. He walked over to Amaya, gently rousing her awake. "Hey, Amaya. You need to get up. There''s an emergency meeting at the association."

    Amaya groaned, burying her face in Sero''s pillow. "I was having the most amazing dream..."

    "Yeah, I know, me too. But you need to get up," he said gently, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "It''s important."

    She grumbled something unintelligible before sitting up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Fine, fine. Let''s go." She swung her legs over the side of the bed, wincing as her muscles protested. "What''s going on, anyway?"

    "That''s what we''re going to find out."

    <hr>

    As the both of them quickly got ready, Sero filled Amaya in on what Enzo had told him. She grew concerned hearing the rising surge of outbreaks spreading north and blushed when Sero revealed that Enzo was now aware of their relationship.

    "Ugh, this is going to be so awkward," Amaya muttered as they rode the elevator down.

    "What?" Sero asked, looking at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

    "It''s bad enough that everyone''s bound to find out about us, but since you''re still hot in the media, it''s going to be even worse when word gets out."

    "They''re not going to care about that," Sero said. "They''ll be too busy dealing with the crisis."

    "That''s a good point, but I''m also thinking about you, Sero. Since you became an S-rank, the media''s been keeping a close eye on you. Thankfully, they only know about your encounter with Malice, but if they caught wind of your... battles against Culling, they''ll definitely start to dig up more about you," Amaya gave him a side glance. "Do you realize what that might mean?"

    It finally dawned on Sero. "If I make any mistakes, the people close to me will also be affected by the media."

    "Exactly," Amaya nodded. "So you need to be extra careful. Not just for yourself, but for all of us."

    "Fuck," Sero sighed as he realized that Dante probably thought of this a long time ago. It made a lot more sense why he was so keen on keeping Sero out of things, since the Sin Reaper didn''t want him to give the alliance a bad image along with not making a mess of things.

    The two climbed into Amaya''s car, speeding to the Ascendants Association. They made their way to the conference room, where Dante, Meredith, Enzo, Max, and Elizabeth were waiting. Kit was nowhere to be seen, but Sero figured that she was with Gregor and the others heading north.

    "Hey guys," Elizabeth stiffly greeted them. Sero sensed an awkward tension as he nodded back. Amaya gave her a small wave, taking a seat next to Sero. Enzo caught his eye, shooting him a raised eyebrow. It seemed like the Demonic Judge could also tell there was something off between the three of them.

    "Glad you two could finally join us," Dante said, taking a seat at the head of the table. He didn''t meet Sero''s eyes as he said it, which only made the tension in the room feel more uncomfortable. "As you can see, we have a lot to discuss. I trust you two were informed already?"

    "Yeah, Enzo briefed us on the situation," Sero replied, glancing around at the others.

    "Good. Then we can proceed without delay. The brunt of our forces is traveling north to help out with subduing the outbreaks spreading upwards. Ione and Yelena are checking the western areas while J''takk and Jack are taking the east. All of us still here are tasked with keeping tabs on their progress as we continue to monitor the 25th Zone for any threats or suspicious activities."

    "What about the information we have on Culling?" Amaya asked. "Do we have any idea what they''re planning?"

    "Nothing concise yet," Dante scowled, distorting the scar across his face. "So we''re pretty much still on standby. Of course, we don''t have the original manpower like we had before, which means we have to be twice as cautious." The Sin Reaper finally glanced at Sero. "That brings us to the next topic. Sero, some of us have been having concerns with you."

    "Me?" Sero asked, feigning innocence. "What''s up?"

    "I''d rather you not play dumb," Dante''s eyes twitched with annoyance. "Clearly, at nearly every incident, you have been at the center of it all. I really don''t care if you were directly responsible for them or not, but it''s been looking like you''re a magnet for bad luck. The last fiasco with the murder of the kidnapped children only proved to me that you cannot obey orders, nor can you be trusted in tense situations."

    "Dante," Elizabeth interrupted, "that was an accident. Amaya and I were also with Sero at the time."

    "Yes, and even you two couldn''t prevent the worst from happening," Dante shot back. "The point is, Sero, you''re a liability. And with the stakes as high as they are, we cannot afford to have anyone making rash decisions or putting our people in danger. That''s why I have no choice but to follow the majority vote of the alliance and take you out of this completely. You will be on standby as a reserve force. Unless you can show that you can handle yourself in the field, you will work here at the association."

 Chapter 97: Killing Time (and Boredom)

    Sero wanted to argue that if it wasn''t for him, then the alliance wouldn''t have learned what they did about Culling and their plans. But he was also aware that the consequences of his actions far outweighed their progress.

    He glanced at Amaya, who had a look of disappointment on her face. She knew what he was going through, and she didn''t like it either.

    "I understand you might feel as if this were a punishment, but there are upsides to this," Dante continued. "By providing support here, you can help manage communications as well as respond quickly to any threats should they appear."

    Sero wanted to protest that this wasn''t what he''d signed up for, but he bit his tongue. He knew that arguing would only make things worse. Instead, he nodded and said, "Yeah, I guess you''re right. I''ll do my best to help out from here."

    Dante nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Good. Then, Enzo and Max will continue to make rounds around the Zone while Meredith and I will investigate places of interest. Elizabeth, continue to keep in touch with your A.R.E.S. division. Amaya, please guide Sero in his duties here. I trust you''ll be able to get him up to speed on the tasks to be done?"

    "I''ll do my best," Amaya said with a soft smile. "I''m sure Sero''s skills will come in handy here too."

    "Dismissed."

    Dante''s dismissal brought the briefing to an end. Sero exchanged glances with Amaya before they both stood up. They nodded at Dante and the others before heading out of the room. Once they were alone, Amaya turned to face him.

    "So, you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.

    Sero sucked in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "Honestly, I am a little upset at being sidelined once again, but after everything we went through, I can see where Dante''s coming from. I''ll just have to behave for now, and hopefully they''ll let me back out in the field."

    He paused, thinking about the events leading up to their current situation. "I can''t help but feel like we''re still missing something. There has to be more to this Culling plan than we know. I just know that Culling''s behind the spikes in monster outbreaks up north."

    Amaya chewed on the nail of her thumb. "I''m sure the alliance is aware of this. That''s why our forces are divided as evenly as possible. Even if it was a ploy to spread our strength, we''ll be somewhat prepared for whatever they throw at us."

    "But what if they''re not spreading our forces?" Sero countered. "What if they''re just trying to get rid of the strongest members, weaken the alliance here in the 25th?"

    "Sero, the people here are still pretty strong. Don''t forget, Enzo is the 10th strongest S-rank elite. Dante and Meredith are also the heads of the top five guilds in the western hemisphere. And Max is part of the Janitors, the strongest mercenary branch in the south sector, barely rivaled by the Silverbloods in the north sector and the Five Serpents in the west."

    "If you say so," Sero leaned against the wall. "I just feel useless here."

    "Hey," Amaya punched his arm. "I actually work here."

    Sero grinned at her. "I know, I know. I''m sorry. I guess I''m just frustrated. There''s a problem that I want to solve, but I don''t have the methods to do so, with my probation and stuff."

    "Come on, let''s go to my desk. I have some paperwork to do before I show you the communications room."

    <hr>

    Sero walked towards the restrooms, feeling a little strange at the sudden change of pace. He was so used to action that sitting with Amaya at her desk doing paperwork felt claustrophobic and dull. Granted, the lack of action gave him time to sort his thoughts and take a break, but he found it ironic that he was itching to jump back into the fray of things, considering his initial dream was to laze around doing nothing.

    "Oh, Sero."

    He blinked, finding Elizabeth coming out of the restrooms. She wore a black blouse with the cuffs rolled to up to her elbows and khaki pants. Her dark violet hair pulled back in a ponytail and she had an awkward smile on her face.

    "Hey, Liz," Sero greeted her, feeling a bit uncomfortable himself. "How... are you?"

    Elizabeth shrugged. "I''ve been better. You?"

    "Bored since Dante forced me to stay here. I''m itching to get back out there."

    Elizabeth smiled softly, dimples appearing in her cheeks. Sero''s heart ached at the sight of her expression. Sero knew that it was wrong of him to still feel this way about her even after he and Amaya shared a moment together, but it wasn''t like he could forget how close they had grown in such a short while.

    "Oh? I would''ve thought you''d want to be by Amaya''s side rather than risking your life out there."

    Sero gave an awkward chuckle. "Y-yeah, you have a point there."

    Elizabeth stepped closer to him, placing a hand on his arm. "I didn''t have the chance back then, but I just want to thank you for saving me when we were captured," she lifted her other hand to her neck. "And I''m sorry for burdening you and Amaya."

    Sero looked at her, confused as his heart skipped a beat from her touch. "What are you talking about?"This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Well, if I wasn''t there or didn''t get captured, you guys would''ve been able to beat those Vultures and maybe somehow rescue those children. In a world of Ascendants, regular humans like me can''t really keep up, can we?" Elizabeth drew away with a sad grin. "It was silly of me to think I could help you."

    "You don''t have to apologize for that, Liz," Sero said, his voice quiet. "You were there. You fought. And you survived." He paused, then added, "And I''m glad you did."

    There was an awkward silence between them as they stared at each other. Sero couldn''t help but feel that there was something more he wanted to say, something that had been building up inside him ever since he''d met her. But he didn''t know how to express it, or even if it was the right thing to do.

    "Sero," Elizabeth began. "I''ve been thinking about what happened back then, with what Luna said. I''m not quite sure where I stand, but I just wanted to let you know that I think of you as a friend. I mean, we''ve gotten closer than I ever thought was possible in such a short amount of time, and I think that might contribute to any other feelings you might have for me."

    Her words hung in the air, as Sero struggled to process them. Part of him wanted to deny her words, to insist that there was nothing between them, but another part of him couldn''t help but feel a spark of hope. He swallowed thickly, finally finding his voice. "I... I''ve been feeling the same way," he admitted, his gaze never leaving hers. "I care about you, Liz. More than I should, maybe. But I don''t want to lose you."

    Elizabeth laughed softly, covering her mouth as she looked away. "That makes me happy to hear. I don''t want to lose you either, so that''s why I think we need to set some boundaries. I wouldn''t want Amaya to think there was anything happening between us. We''re just friends, right?"

    Her words stung like a slap in the face. Sero felt a mixture of hurt and confusion. He wanted to believe that there was more between them, but he couldn''t deny the fact that Elizabeth had a point.

    "Yeah... we are," Sero smiled weakly. "Just friends." He cleared his throat, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "Well, I should get going then."

    Elizabeth nodded, stepping back and giving him a small smile. "I''ll see you around, Sero. Take care of yourself." She turned and walked away, leaving him standing there, feeling a mixture of emotions he couldn''t quite process.

    Sero shook himself out of his thoughts, turning to walk into the bathroom when he heard a pair of voices bickering behind him.

    "If we fought in an arena filled with metal, you still wouldn''t have been able to beat me."

    "Huh?! Are you daft? The only reason you won was because there wasn''t any metal around at all! And I still managed to back you into a corner."

    "I don''t know why Boss thought you needed to stay, since I''m more than enough to handle whatever happens in the 25th."

    "I could say the same for you. Don''t forget, I''m literally right behind you in the rankings. Slip up once, and I''ll be taking the 10th place."

    Enzo and Maximillian suddenly noticed Sero standing in front of the bathroom.

    "Ah, Sero," Enzo said with a smirk. "Caught you eavesdropping, did we? Thought you might enjoy hearing us talk about how much better I am at fighting than Max here."

    "Eavesdropping? He''s literally just standing there- You are not better at fighting than I am!" Maximillian scowled, puffing out his chest. "In terms of technique and strategy, your answer to both is literally to charge straight forward."

    "Well, if it works, why change it?" Enzo retorted with a grin. "Just because you''re too chicken to actually admit it, doesn''t mean I''m not better. And speaking of chickens," he said, pointing at Sero, "why don''t you ask him who he thinks is better? I bet he''d choose me over you any day."

    "Please don''t make me choose-"

    "The reason he''d choose you is because he''s never seen me in action before," Maximillian turned to Sero. "Speaking of which, you trained him right? Which means he''s probably weak, too."

    "What was that?" Enzo bared his teeth. "You think my training with Sero didn''t make him stronger or something?"

    "Ha!" Maximillian scoffed. "I doubt that very much. But if you''re so sure, let''s set up a sparring match. Just the two of us, no one else."

    "Wait, it feels like I don''t have a say in this-"

    "You''re on. We can use my Sponsor''s arena. If Sero can hold out for at least 10 minutes, you have to do my paperwork for a month." Enzo held out a hand.

    "Make it 15 minutes and my paperwork, and you have a deal," Maximillian countered.

    Enzo grinned, shaking his hand firmly. "You''re on. Sero, you better not disappoint me."

    <hr>

    Before they moved to Enzo''s Sponsor''s personal space, Sero texted Amaya, letting her know of his sudden situation. As his phone began to buzz with messages, Enzo teleported the three of them to the sunny desert, where it lost service and quieted.

    "I''m not expecting you to beat him," Enzo said to Sero as Maximillian took off his blazer and rolled up his sleeves. "But I am expecting you to last the full 15 minutes."

    Sero nodded, stripping off his own jacket and shaking out his arms. "I''ll do my best."

    "No, don''t hold back," Enzo growled, folding his arms. "As much as I hate to admit it, Max is definitely worthy of taking my spot in the S-rank elites. Not to mention Duke, one of the last two people in the Janitors you haven''t met yet, is also on par with him."

    "That... doesn''t help me," Sero grumbled. "Besides, why are we doing this? Don''t you guys have to patrol the area?"

    "My dear student, think of this as an opportunity to acquire more skills from the legendary Iron Tyrant," Enzo replied with a smirk. "Though he doesn''t have much, they are definitely very powerful. I know you''re itching to copy them."

    "I mean... you''re not wrong..."

    "Plus," the Demonic Judge lowered his voice. "I heard about what you''ve been going through in terms of mental stability. I think having a match will help let off some steam. If I''m being completely honest, you''d be perfect as a member of our team."

    "Oh," Sero blinked at Enzo. "Thanks, I guess?"

    "I''m sure we''ve touched on it, but the Boss recruits people with troubled histories. Me, Max, Cass... every single one of us has our own issues that make it perfect to carry out the jobs the Janitors are known for."

    Enzo clapped his hands together, signaling for them to start. "Enough about that, though. Just last the full 15 minutes, and remember to not hold back. Max is going to come at you with everything he''s got, so try not to die."

    "Try not to what now?"

    Before Sero could get an answer, he sensed an overwhelming amount of mana surging from Maximillian. He whirled towards the Iron Tyrant, seeing an aura of silver covering his body.

    "I can let loose, right Enzo? Your student won''t die on me?" Maximillian grinned, an unhinged look in his gray eyes.

    "He''s no student of mine if he does," Enzo replied, baring his teeth. "But I wouldn''t underestimate him. He beat my little brother, after all."

    Sero glanced at Enzo, then back at Maximillian. He swallowed, feeling a bit apprehensive for the match.

 Chapter 98: A Dance of Metal and Magic

    Without any warning, Maximillian conjured several metal coins around him, immediately firing them at Sero.

    Copying ''Metalmake'', Sero ran through his skill rotation, quickly stomping out a Force Field to block the small projectiles. His Perfect Analysis was on full throttle, studying Maximillian''s every move.

    As the coins struck his green Force Field, Sero realized that Enzo was right about Maximillian''s strength; his shield began to show cracks as the projectiles kept pelting it.

    Sero cursed to himself, casting Fairness on Maximillian as he dropped his Force Field. The overwhelming strength flowed into his body, but Sero emulated Harmony to convert the excess into mana which he then used to conjure his dragon twins and Sting.

    Maximillian frowned in annoyance at the balancing of their strengths, but otherwise seemed fine as Moss and Lime began to cast debuffs on him. Sting dashed forward, priming her rapier at the Iron Tyrant.

    "Not bad," Maximillian smirked, waving a hand at Sting.

    Sero''s body buzzed as he copied ''Repel'', watching as Sting was seemingly pushed aside by an invisible force. He realized that Maximillian had repelled the Joker''s rapier, dragging the familiar with it.

    "Guess a mana blade''s out of the question," Sero muttered to himself, conjuring a Soul Blade instead. He assumed Maximillian might have a skill that attracted metals, so he didn''t want to risk using any metallic weaponry.

    Sero telepathically ordered Sting to switch to a ranged offensive, causing the Joker to throw exploding playing cards instead of relying on her rapier. Moss and Lime continued to hinder Maximillian with weakening status effects and absorption of his coins as Sero dashed into melee range.

    The Iron Tyrant was already prepared, casting Form Shift to transform the coins around him into long metal blades that seemed to have minds of their own, zipping around to deal with Sero and his summons.

    A few of the blades tried to pierce him, but Sero simply casted his own Repel to push them away, clearing a path to Maximillian. With a grin, Sero fired off a Lightning Bolt, expecting the metal around Maximillian to attract the attack. To his surprise, the spell was deflected back at him, forcing Sero to dodge quickly.

    He glanced back at the attack, seeing the floating blades behind him absorb the lightning and realized Maximillian had used ''Attract'', which not only drew metal in, but also enabled the metals to pull any attacks toward it.

    "Holy shit, he''s strong," Sero thought to himself, snapping his attention back to Maximillian and firing off a storm of alternating mana railguns and nukes.

    Even as the Iron Tyrant used the metal blades to deflect the oncoming magic, Sero casted Mana Lock and Shadow Bind, hoping to restrict Maximillian''s movements. But he simply conjured more shards of metal around him that quickly tore up the shadowy tendrils and green cage to shreds.

    Sero sent out a Fire Blast, using Wind Rush to boost his speed to maneuver around the blades. Maximillian was now in the center of a massive hurricane of blades, easily pushing back Sero and his familiars as the fire crashed harmlessly against the steel.

    Swearing under his breath, Sero casted Ground Fortress, whipping the sand and dirt around him in a storm to combat the metal hurricane. The earth and metal clashed, giving Sero and his familiars enough time to regroup. Moss and Lime took advantage of the momentary lull by casting buffs and heals on Sero, restoring his strength. Sting, on the other hand, dashed forward, aiming for a weak spot in Maximillian''s defenses.

    "Oh, this is a lot more fun than I thought!" Maximillian roared with a grin, stomping the ground. A huge tsunami of jagged metal screeched forth from where he stomped, growing in size as it approached Sting. Unable to dodge in time, the colossal wall quickly pierced the Joker, causing her to disperse into green dust.

    Despite the loss of a powerful familiar, Sero was already prepared, casting Synchronization as his Fairness wore off to merge with his dragons and summoning an army of green spectral reptiles. The Ground Fortress sandstorm was dying out against the metal hurricane, causing Sero to fire a desperate Dominate at Maximillian. In the back of his mind, Sero wondered where the ghostly reptiles came from, considering he only had Moss and Lime.

    Just like with the Lightning Bolt, the Dominate beam unnaturally veered off path, hitting a stray blade instead. It seemed as though Maximillian had a counter to everything Sero could throw at him; at least, for now.

    The blade hurricane switched focus, tearing through the ghostly familiars as Maximillian broke apart and morphed the jagged metal wall into a storm of shrapnel that came raining down on Sero.

    Thinking on his feet, Sero casted Metalmake himself, throwing out a single coin at the shrapnel storm. He used Attract on the coin, causing the silver shards to gravitate towards it instead. The pieces slammed together around the coin, giving Sero a brief opening. A quick combination of Shadow Sneak and Wind Rush brought Sero behind Maximillian, where he conjured the Jury axe to bring down upon the Iron Tyrant.

    "Damn, you''re pretty good," Maximillian whirled around with a smirk, flicking his hand at Sero.

    He gasped as the Jury axe wrenched free from his grasp due to Maximillian''s Repel. The golden weapon flew through the air, directly towards Enzo.

    With a snarl, Enzo effortlessly smacked the axe away with the back of his hand. "Watch it, asshole! I know you did that on purpose!"

    Sero, however, was already leaping at the opening, thrusting his Soul Blade forward. Since Maximillian was using his metal at range, Sero figured he wasn''t well-versed in close-combat. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    He was immediately proven wrong as he copied ''Metallicize'', watching a suit of silver metal form around Maximillian''s body. The Iron Tyrant easily blocked his Soul Blade with a hand, firing a quick punch to Sero''s gut.

    Sero flew back, landing on his butt. Pain exploded in his abdomen, but he ignored it, jumping back on his feet. As his Synchronization wore off, so did his spectral army, leading Sero to emulate Relentless and casting both Provoke and Undying Spirit.

    Like a rocket, Sero dashed forward, slipping through the hurricane of blades as he managed to get a clean punch on Maximillian. However, the Iron Tyrant simply grunted, quickly retaliating with his own punches and kicks.

    It took all of Sero''s effort and concentration just to avoid the simultaneous attacks from Maximillian and his floating blades, pushing him to focus on defense as he slowly drained more strength and mana from his opponent.

    Sero considered copying Maximillian''s skills and moves exactly, but figured that the Iron Tyrant had a stronger mastery over metal, which would prove disadvantageous. Running out of options, Sero decided to go for a surprise attack.

    Before Maximillian could land a decisive hit, Sero clapped his hands, casting a Lightning Bolt directly on top of them.

    "What the fuck?" Maximillian quickly diverted the electrical attack to one of the floating blades, giving Sero the chance he needed.

    Deactivating Provoke and Undying Spirit, he emulated Lawbreak, casting Cat Paradox and hoped that his plan would work. In the blink of an eye, the metal hurricane vanished, momentarily stunning Maximillian.

    Before he could recover, Sero charged up a full-powered mana nuke, firing it point-blank at Maximillian. The attack exploded on contact, and Sero managed to change into shadows to dodge the resulting shockwave.

    As he rematerialized, a metallic fist emerged from the smoke, striking Sero''s jaw hard. The force of the blow sent him flying backwards, landing hard on the ground. He groaned in pain, his vision swimming.

    Sero kicked back up to his feet on instinct, scanning his surroundings. He caught sight of Maximillian heading straight towards him, surrounded by floating blades of steel. In the back of his mind, Sero could feel a strange bloodlust welling up inside him, threatening to take over.

    For some reason, his Rationality didn''t quell the feeling. In fact, Sero felt almost seduced by the feeling of carnage. His muscles tensed and his heart raced as he prepared for the inevitable clash. As Maximillian drew closer, Sero reached out with his senses, searching for another opportunity.

    Time seemed to slow down as Sero indulged in the bloodlust, casting Hellfire and Hellspark to cover his body. His Perfect Analysis heightened all of his senses, reading every one of Maximillian''s movements. The Iron Tyrant launched the floating blades at him, but Sero easily brushed them away with Repel, crouching down as he charged up a Revenge in his fist.

    Maximillian quickly closed the gap, throwing out a punch to which Sero responded in kind.

    Just before their punches reached each other, a massive golden axe swung down in between the middle of them, causing the two to halt their fists before they struck the weapon.

    "Time''s up," Enzo declared, drawing his Jury axe back. "Congratulations Sero, you managed to last the entire 15 minutes."

    "Oh," Sero blinked, relaxing his body as his skills dispersed. His bloodlust faded away as his Rationality took over. It was only for a moment, but Enzo seemed to have a look of concern in his eyes.

    "Ugh, right when it was getting to the good part," Maximillian grumbled, releasing his Metallicize suit along with his blades. "I was looking forward to cutting loose."

    Although Sero believed the match would''ve ended in a tie, he sensed the presence of metal blades behind him. He realized that even if Enzo hadn''t stopped them because of the time limit, he would''ve lost either way. He shivered, agreeing that Maximillian was indeed on par with Enzo.

    "Looks like you have to do my paperwork for a month," Enzo bared his teeth happily as his eyes glowed red, preparing to teleport the three back.

    "Shut up, mutt. If we were surrounded by even the tiniest bit of natural metal, I''d have gone even further," Maximillian replied with a scowl. "Damn desert is useless to me."

    Casting Recovery on himself, Sero couldn''t help but notice how relaxed the Iron Tyrant was, as if their match was nothing more than a warm-up to him. If this was how strong Maximillian was without metal around, Sero didn¡¯t want to imagine how powerful he could be had there been some.

    <hr>

    After returning to the association, Maximillian excused himself to the restroom, leaving Enzo and Sero alone.

    "You''ve grown really strong," Enzo remarked, raising an eyebrow at him. "Didn''t expect you to actually keep up with Max."

    Sero shrugged. "I''ve been training harder," he said simply. "But he''s still stronger. He could''ve taken me down if he wanted to."

    "True. But you wouldn''t have gone down with a fight," the Demonic Judge took a hand out from his pockets, glancing at his phone. "Besides that though... I''m surprised you''ve developed a killing intent."

    Sero blinked, taken aback by the comment. "What do you mean?"

    "During training, you were developing a sense for combat, and in your matches in the tournament, you showed that you can handle a simulated fight. Neither of those situations can foster a killing intent, which means you went through something traumatic to develop that," Enzo lazily glanced at Sero. "I''m sure Max noticed that too. By no means am I saying it''s a bad thing, considering me and the other Janitors have developed our own killing intent."

    Sero paused for a moment, his face a bit pale. "I guess... I never thought about it like that."

    "Yeah, well, killing intent is much different from the emotions you''re used to. In fact, there''s hardly any emotion involved. To be able to take a life, you need to be rid of the guilt and fear that comes along with it." Enzo slipped his phone back into his pockets. "Just... keep it in check, okay? I''m not supposed to condone it, but I think it''s good that you have it. It''s only a problem once you aim that killing intent at your allies."

    "I''ll keep that in mind," Sero nodded, his expression serious. He paused for a moment, thinking about what had happened to him. It made sense; his Rationality had been suppressing his emotions, so it wasn''t a surprise for Sero to develop the so-called killing intent Enzo spoke of.

    Their conversation ended when Maximillian came out of the restroom, nodding at Enzo, then Sero.

    "Good match. Next time, I''ll end it before the time limit," the Iron Tyrant grunted to Sero, walking away.

    Enzo glanced at Sero, raising an eyebrow. "You know, after a match like that, you don¡¯t seem winded at all."

    "Oh¡­ I just¡­ my skills and familiars were keeping me in shape," Sero replied lamely. "My Recovery is also restoring my body."

    The Demonic Judge smacked Sero¡¯s back with a fanged grin. "The Boss was the only person I considered a monster, but I think I might be seeing another one grow right before my eyes." Enzo said before following Maximillian.

    Sero watched the S-ranks leave, slowly becoming aware that he never used the restroom like he originally planned.

 Chapter 99: A Much Needed Break

    Sero headed back to Amaya''s desk, mulling over the events that had transpired. The liaison glanced up at him with a frown as he sat down.

    "That was a lengthy bathroom break," Amaya raised an eyebrow. "And what''s this about fighting Max?"

    "It''s a long story," Sero winced with a sigh as he explained what happened. He made sure to skip over his talk with Elizabeth, only telling her about his match with Maximillian and the resulting talk he had with Enzo.

    "That... explains a lot about your changes," Amaya said, taking a moment to process the information. "You''ve certainly grown more confident, and it''s obvious you''ve gotten stronger. But... I can''t help but worry about what this means for you."

    "Yeah... I know," Sero murmured, looking down at his hands. She didn''t have to say it, but with his unnatural ability to reason even the most atrocious of actions, Sero knew Amaya was worried for his humanity.

    He was worried too, but he couldn''t let himself focus on that. He had to keep moving forward. "I''ll be careful," he told her, trying to reassure them both. "I''m not going to let it consume me."

    Amaya gave him a soft smile. "Hey, if you lose control, I can always kiss you to bring you back to your senses."

    "That so? Maybe I should lose control more often," Sero smirked back, causing Amaya to roll her eyes.

    They continued to talk and joke around for a while, occasionally glancing at the clock, counting down the hours until their shift ended. Despite the worry that loomed in the back of his mind, Sero couldn''t help but feel a sense of contentment. Amaya was keeping him grounded, and for that, he was grateful.

    <hr>

    As soon as the sun began to set, Amaya drove them back to Sero''s penthouse, picking up food along the way. After eating, they spent the evening watching a movie, occasionally stealing glances at each other as they munched on popcorn. Despite his newfound confidence, Sero found himself seeking reassurance from Amaya, leaning against her whenever she was close. She didn''t seem to mind, in fact, she seemed to enjoy the contact as much as he did.

    Amaya snuggled closer within Sero''s arms, watching the credits roll on the tv screen. He could feel the warmth of her body against his, the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. It was a comforting sensation, one that made him feel safe and secure.

    "Hey, Amaya?"

    "Hmm?" She looked up at him, her expression soft and content. Sero''s heart skipped a beat, her beauty always managing to take his breath away. "Yeah, Sero?"

    "I... never mind," he glanced away, feeling his cheeks grow warm.

    They lapsed into silence for a few moments, content to just enjoy the afterglow of their evening together. Finally, Sero cleared his throat. "I... uh... wanted to ask how you were doing."

    The Spellblade didn''t reply immediately, burying her face into his chest. "Are you asking if I''m okay ever since we saw Casey...?"

    "Yeah."

    Amaya slipped her arms underneath Sero, hugging him tighter as she continued to press her face into his chest. He could feel something wet begin to dampen his shirt.

    "Honestly, I''m still processing it," Amaya quietly started. "And I know it''ll hit me soon. But for some reason, it helps that you''re here with me."

    Sero didn''t say anything, just held her tighter. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair.

    "I''m here for you, Amaya. No matter what happens, I''ll be here. I promise." His words were quiet, but firm. He could feel her body shudder slightly against his as she tried to hold back a sob.

    "You suck, you know that? Ruining the mood all of a sudden," Amaya muttered, trying to sound angry but failing to hide the quiver in her voice. She pulled back slightly, wiping her face with the back of her hand and looking up at him with red-rimmed eyes. "But thanks. I appreciate it."

    "Sorry," Sero relied sheepishly as he brushed away her tears. "Just wanted to check up on you, since you''re always checking up on me."

    Amaya snorted, managing a weak smile. "Well, you''re not too bad, I guess. Just promise me one thing."

    "What''s that?" Sero asked, curious.

    Amaya paused for a moment, then slowly reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand. Her touch was gentle, almost reverent. "Don''t you dare leave me," she whispered. "I know we''re in a strange relationship, but I''ll stab you if you ever leave me."

    "I won''t. Promise." Sero chuckled softly. He knew the true meaning behind Amaya''s words. She was scared of losing him, especially after Sero was finally able to get closer to her. He knew she was still dealing with the loss of her own family, sharing his pain over losing Tiero and now Casey.

    "I''ll hold you to that," Amaya murmured, burying her face into his chest again. They stayed like that for a while longer, Sero''s heartbeat slowly calming as it matched hers. He stroked her hair, feeling the softness of it between his fingers. He could feel her body relax, her breathing growing deeper and more regular.

    Finally, Amaya gently sat up, rubbing her eyes. "I''m going to change and get ready for bed."

    "You''re... sleeping over again?" Sero blinked at her.

    "Do you not want me to?"

    Sero''s heart skipped a beat at her question. He forced himself to keep his expression neutral as he shook his head. "No, no. I mean, it''s your choice, I just... I wasn''t... I like when you do. I mean, when was the last time you went back home?" This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Amaya laughed softly, getting up from the couch. "I always have an extra set of clothes for emergencies, if that''s what you''re worried about," the Spellblade stretched her body. "But, you''re right, I haven''t been back at my apartment in a while. It''s just... right now, I feel safer with you."

    She walked over to the bedroom, leaving Sero alone in the living room. He couldn''t help but smile at her words.

    Amaya emerged from the bedroom a few minutes later, wearing one of his shirts with athletic shorts. Her silver hair was tied back in a messy bun, and she yawned as she plopped down onto the couch beside him. "So," she started, "do you want to watch something before we go to sleep?"

    Sero glanced at the TV. "Not really. I''m kind of tired, to be honest." He looked over at her, taking in her features in the soft light of the living room. She was so beautiful, even when she was half-asleep. He reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "You should get some rest too."

    "You''re right. I mean, it''s the weekend after all," Amaya mumbled sleepily. "No work tomorrow besides monitoring the situation..."

    "How about we go visit Nala and Luna tomorrow?" Sero smiled. "It''s been a while since we''ve seen them."

    Amaya yawned and nodded sleepily. "That sounds like a good idea. We can bring them some treats and just hang out with them. They always make me feel better." She raised her arms. "Okay, I''ll let Dante know we''ll be coming in late tomorrow. Can you carry me to bed?"

    Sero chuckled and stood up, scooping her into his arms. She felt so light and delicate in his arms, and her hair tickled his nose. He carried her to the bedroom and gently laid her down on the bed. She immediately rolled over onto her side, facing away from him, and curled up into a little ball. He watched her for a moment, the soft rise and fall of her back as she breathed, and felt a sudden urge to protect her.

    Until now, Sero had always seen Amaya carry a strong and composed front, but tonight, as he watched her sleep, he couldn''t help but notice the slight tremor in her shoulders as she slept. It tugged at his heartstrings, and he wanted nothing more than to make everything better for her. He crawled into bed beside her, careful not to wake her, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. Her back pressed against his chest, and he could feel the warmth of her body through their shared clothing.

    <hr>

    The next day, Sero woke up, blearily blinking the sleep from his eyes. He glanced at the clock, realizing that he had slept in for a bit longer than expected. A soft groan caught his attention, and Sero found Amaya still wrapped in his arms.

    He smiled, running a hand through her hair before gently nudging her awake. She yawned and stretched, her body molding against his as she woke up. "Morning," she mumbled, blinking sleepily. "What time is it?"

    "Almost 11," Sero answered with a grin. "We should get going if we want to visit Nala and Luna before lunch."

    Amaya nodded, stretching once more before sitting up in bed. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, the silver hair falling out of its messy bun. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I''ll get dressed first?"

    To save time on driving, Sero teleported the both of them over to Gregor''s home, where the door was flung open as soon as they approached the entrance.

    "Oh?" Luna smirked upon seeing Sero and Amaya. As usual, the succubus was holding a can of beer in her hands. "I''m guessing something juicy happened between you two?"

    "Ah, well, about that..." Sero scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.

    "Oh, hey guys," Nala popped up behind Luna. "What are you guys doing here? I thought you''d be busy at the Ascendants Association."

    "We were, but we wanted to see how you two were doing," Amaya replied, a hint of nervousness in her voice. "And... we brought you some treats." She held up a bag of pastries, a small blush creeping onto her cheeks.

    The Shadereaper snatched the bag with lightning speed, immediately opening and popping one of the cream-filled sweets in her mouth.

    "Mmm, thanks Amaya," she mumbled, her mouth already full. Luna rolled her eyes, but didn''t complain.

    "Well, come on in. I''m sure you two have a lot to tell us," Luna smiled knowingly at the pair.

    <hr>

    After getting settled in the living room, Luna studied Sero and Amaya intently, causing them to shift uncomfortably. Nala was in her own world, already devouring half of the bag of treats.

    "Spill it," Luna finally broke the silence, leaning back in her chair. She sipped her beer, smirking. "I can tell you two started something."

    Sero blushed, glancing at Amaya, who was busy twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. "Well, uh, we, uh..." he stammered, clearly at a loss for words.

    "Are you guys dating now?" Nala asked bluntly, frosting around her lips.

    Sero blushed harder, glancing at Amaya for a moment before looking back at Nala. "Um, sort of. I mean, we''re just seeing where it goes, but we''ve been hanging out a lot lately, and..." He trailed off, fumbling for the right words.

    "We''ve recognized the feelings we had for each other," Amaya finally spoke up, meeting Sero''s gaze. "And yeah, we wanted to see where it goes." Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked away, fidgeting with her fingers.

    "Cute," Luna grinned, sipping her beer. "I knew it was only a matter of time." She caught Sero''s gaze, nodding ever so slightly. He understood the succubus''s gesture; she was curious to know about Elizabeth as well, but didn''t want to talk about it in front of Amaya. "So, how did this come to be?"

    Sero opened his mouth, then closed it. The last moments before Casey''s death flashed through his mind, bringing up a well of emotions. It seemed as though Amaya was thinking the same thing, because she hesitated as well. They exchanged glances, and Sero took a deep breath, stopping his Rationality from controlling the hurt and anger.

    Luna picked up on the sudden change in mood, setting her can down as she leaned forward. "What... happened?" the succubus whispered nervously. Nala stopped chewing, tilting her head curiously.

    Sero swallowed hard, unable to meet their gazes. "Casey... was killed. By Dr. Malek."

    Luna''s eyes widened in shock. "No..." she whispered. Tears began to form in the succubus''s eyes.

    Nala''s grip on the bag of treats slackened, falling to the ground. "You''re... joking, right?" The Shadereaper quietly asked, a visible distress clear on her face. "He''s not really dead, right?"

    "Amaya and I... saw it with our own two eyes," Sero continued, fighting back tears himself. "The kid''s last words were thankful towards us... towards all of us. He said... he said he was thankful to have found another family with us."

    Luna''s face was a mask of horror and disbelief, her eyes wide and glistening with tears. "Oh gods... oh gods, this is... this is... I..." She couldn''t find the words. Nala, on the other hand, looked as though she was about to be physically ill.

    "I... went berserk. I don''t know exactly what happened, but I... wiped out the members of Culling. Dr. Malek managed to escape in the chaos." Sero finished, a bitter taste in his mouth.

    Luna began to quietly sob as Nala simply leaned back in her chair with an empty gaze.

    "I''m sorry. I couldn''t- I couldn''t save him," Sero dropped his shoulders.

    Luna and Nala didn''t say anything, both lost in their own thoughts. Sero sat there, feeling the weight of what had happened pressing down on him. Amaya reached over and took his hand, squeezing it gently. It was a small gesture, but it meant the world to him.

    The silence was broken when Luna finally spoke up, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I can''t imagine how horrible it must''ve been... I can''t believe he''s gone..."

    Sero squeezed Amaya''s hand in reply, not trusting himself to speak. He wanted nothing more than to find Malek and make the bastard pay for what he''d done. The thought of Casey''s death, the pain and fear in the boy''s eyes, was a wound that wouldn''t heal anytime soon.

    "Sorry... didn''t mean to drop this on you guys," Sero said, his voice thick with emotion. "It''s a long story."

 Chapter 100: He Who Swallowed the Sun â€“ Part 1

    Slowly, Sero began to explain everything that had happened after they left the arcade bar earlier, watching as both Luna and Nala grew more distressed with every word.

    "And now I guess you know that the alliance has split their forces to deal with the outbreaks rising in the north," he finished quietly, unable to meet their gazes. Amaya had held his hand the entire time, her grip reassuring.

    For a long while, the only sounds heard was the succubus sobbing softly, whereas Nala continued to have an empty look. It was as if the Shadereaper had locked herself out of her emotions, unable to process what had just happened. Sero felt a stab of guilt, as if he had somehow failed them.

    "Well... I''m just glad you two are okay," Luna finally stopped crying, taking a deep breath as she wiped away her tears. "I can''t even imagine what you must be going through. If there''s anything I can do to help, you know I''m here for you both."

    Nala, still looking distant, finally spoke up. "Yeah... I''m here too. Whatever you need, just let me know." Her voice was barely audible, but it was clear she meant it.

    Sero looked up at them with a grateful smile. "Thanks guys. I''m... Amaya and I have had some time to process it, but I know Casey was just as important to you two as well. If anything, I''m here if you guys need anything."

    "So am I," Amaya added, squeezing Sero''s hand. "Like Casey said: We''re a family, and we''ll get through this together."

    Sero nodded, feeling a little of his burden lifted by their words. He glanced at Nala, noting the slight tremor in her hands as she gripped her chair. The Shadereaper had always seemed so calm, so composed, but now she looked... human. Vulnerable. He wasn''t used to seeing her show so much emotion before.

    "So, uh... what now?" Luna asked, breaking the heavy silence. "I mean, we can''t exactly go back to the way things were before. Not with Culling and the outbreaks getting worse..."

    "To paraphrase what Kaizo said... we just sit tight," Sero smiled dryly. "With no leads on Culling, all we can do is prepare ourselves for whatever comes next."

    He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "As for the outbreaks, we can''t let them stop us. We''ll just have to be extra careful and double down on our usual protocols. The other night it happened, we managed to hold them off, and I don''t see why we can''t do it again."

    "Technically Sero, you almost single-handedly held off the outbreaks we came across," Nala finally spoke, though she still seemed visibly shaken. "By the time that man Peter and I ran out of steam, you were still full of energy. If there''s one thing I''m sure about, it''s that I can rely on your strength."

    "Thanks, Nala. But it''s not just about me. We were a team, remember? I couldn''t have done it without any of you." Sero smiled weakly, but it was clear he meant every word.

    "Speaking of strength," Luna interjected, seemingly relieved to change the mood of the atmosphere, "You''ve become exponentially stronger since the tournament, Sero. The mana I''m sensing from you is incredibly dense. What the heck have you been doing?"

    "I have?" Sero blinked in surprise. "It doesn''t feel like I have."

    "Actually, she has a point," Amaya added with a nod. "Your mana signature has been... off the charts, lately. You''re much stronger than you were before the tournament. Of course, it might be due to the stressors that forced you to... you know." She trailed off, squeezing his hand gently. "But I mean, you did say you survived a match against Max, so that has to count for something, right?"

    "Maybe," Sero said, shrugging. "But I honestly don''t feel any different. Maybe it''s because of all the skills I''ve copied so far."

    "How many have you copied?" Luna asked, grabbing her can and taking a long swig.

    "Uh... not including my own, I think nearly 50 or so," Sero replied, trying to recall the exact number.

    "Fifty?!" Luna choked on her drink, nearly spitting it out. "Since the tournament?"

    "Uh, yeah?" Sero replied, a bit taken aback.

    "That''s... incredible," Luna muttered, shaking her head. "I can''t believe you''ve managed to remember all those skills. How do you even do that?"

    "Perfect Recall, mostly. Copy just allows me to replicate it, analysis lets me understand the concept of it, and recall helps me remember how to do it," Sero scratched the back of his head.

    "No wonder your mental state is in shambles," the succubus shook her head.

    "Oh, don''t worry about me," Sero waved her off. "I''m used to it. It''s not like I can forget everything I''ve copied, you know?"

    "Still, you''ve got to be the most well-rounded Ascendant in the city now," Luna mused. "With all those skills at your disposal, you could probably defeat Culling single-handedly."

    Sero glanced down at his hands. He never thought about it, but Luna was right. The more skills he acquired, the easier his battles were becoming. It was like he had an endless arsenal of moves to choose from. "Well, I appreciate the compliment, but I think it''s still too early to say that. I''ve only been using these skills for a short while, and I''m still learning how to properly incorporate them into my fighting style."

    "Factoring in elemental spells, I don''t think even Nala and I combined have as many skills as you do," Amaya mused, looking thoughtful. "But I''m sure we can all work together to find a way to take them down." She gave him a reassuring smile. "We''ve got this, Sero. You just focus on getting stronger, and we''ll handle the rest."

    "Thanks, Amaya. You''re the best," Sero replied, returning her smile.

    "Bleh," Luna made a face of disgust. "I didn''t realize how mushy you two would end up being."

    "Oh," Sero remembered the original topic. "Amaya and I aren''t... official yet. I mean, yeah we''ve kissed a couple of times, but-"

    "What?" Nala leaned forward. "You guys are already at that point? Why am I being left out of things?"

    "Oh, come on, Nala," Luna laughed. "You know that''s not true. Besides, you''ve always been more of a free spirit than Sero and Amaya."

    "That''s true, but I met Sero shortly after Amaya did," the Shadereaper sat back with a slight frown. "I just thought of us like the three musketeers or something. Now it feels like I''m third wheeling. I hardly ever see you two anymore."

    "Sorry, Nala," Sero offered a small smile. "I''ll make it up to you. We could go to a dessert place, my treat."

    The Shadereaper''s eyes brightened immediately. "Okay. I forgive you guys."

    "Really? Sweets is all it took to convince her?" Luna teased, earning a glare from Nala. "Alright, alright. How about we all go to that ice cream place near the Ascendant Association? But you owe me too, Sero." She crossed her arms and stuck out her lower lip in a pout.

    "Pardon? Why do I owe you?"

    "You said you''d keep me safe at your penthouse."

    "I- Are you still on about that? It''s not safe at my penthouse!"

    "So I assume Amaya hasn''t been sleeping over then?" Luna countered.

    "Er..." Sero couldn''t think of a response. It was true that Amaya had been sleeping over at his penthouse a couple of times, but that was different.

    The succubus waved a hand. "It''s only because you got me addicted to the luxury of your penthouse. Not to say that your dad''s home isn''t nice, Nala."

    "I liked Sero''s penthouse, too. I was having fun playing games there." Nala picked up the bag of treats again.

    "So what? You guys wanna move back into my penthouse?" Sero asked warily. "Not that you guys were paying the rent anyway."

    "I don''t know about Nala, but I definitely do," Luna winked, finishing her beer. "Besides, with Gregor and the other Janitors up north, both his home and your penthouse are just as risky, aren''t they?"

    "W-well, yeah, but-"

    "Don''t worry," the succubus gave a knowing smile at Sero and Amaya. "I won''t interrupt you two if... anything were to happen."

    Amaya made a tiny noise whereas Sero blushed and looked away.

    "How about we all get going?" he managed to choke out. "I could go for some ice cream right about now."

    <hr>

    The four of them ended up at the ice cream shop near the Ascendants Association, and Sero bought them all their favorite flavors, wincing at the damage to his bank account. They sat down at a table near the window, watching people stroll by as they enjoyed their treats. The atmosphere was light and relaxed, and it was a welcome change from the tension that had been building up lately.

    "So, are you guys going to the association right after this?" Luna asked Sero and Amaya, watching as Nala devoured her sundae.

    "Yeah... Dante allowed for us to come in late if it meant keeping Sero in check," the Spellblade smiled wryly, giving Sero a glance.

    "Oh? Does that mean you''re in charge of him?" the succubus purred teasingly.

    "No one''s in charge of me," Sero protested, glancing at Amaya nervously. "And I don''t need anyone to keep an eye on me."

    "Oh? You sure about that?" Luna raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair. "Because from what I''ve heard, and what you''ve told me, you''ve been doing a lot more... reckless stuff lately."

    Sero felt his face flush as he suddenly became interested in his cup of ice cream. "I''ve just been... stressed, I guess. There''s been a lot going on." He took a bite of his ice cream, his gaze drifting out the window.

    "As long as you''re okay, that''s what matters," Nala spoke up quietly, moving onto her second sundae. "I... we can''t handle losing another friend."

    The mention of friends seemed to hang in the air between them, and Sero couldn''t help but glance at Amaya. She looked at him with a soft smile, reaching across the table to take his hand. The gesture was small, but it made him feel warm inside.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "Well, if anyone can handle Sero, it''s me," Amaya said with a confident smile. "And I''m not going anywhere, you know that."

    The four of them continued to enjoy their ice cream, laughing and chatting about various things. As the sun rose into the sky, Sero felt a wave of contentment wash over him. Granted, things were still looking grim, but he chose to focus on the moment, with his friends around him. He was grateful for their support, and he knew that they were all there for each other.

    Sero suddenly caught sight of a crowd of Ascendants flooding out of the association. Among them were Dante and Meredith, barking orders at the others. The other three women noticed the commotion, glancing amongst themselves with worry.

    "Ah... seems like we might be needed," Sero murmured, beginning to get up. "Luna, Nala, you two¨C"

    "We''ll stay at your penthouse," the succubus finished, standing up. "You and Amaya just make sure you''re okay."

    Sero wanted to argue against it, but bit his tongue. "Sounds good."

    Leaving Nala and Luna to pay for the dessert, Sero rushed over with Amaya following close behind. As they caught up with Dante and Meredith, the Sin Reaper glanced at them, narrowing his eyes at the sight of Sero.

    Expecting Dante to dismiss him, the Sin Reaper simply jerked his head at Sero, allowing him to stay.

    "Nice of you two to join us," Dante remarked. "We got a sudden spike in outbreaks. All Ascendants on hand are being mobilized right now."

    "What do you need us to do?" Sero asked.

    Dante shared a look with Meredith, who shrugged his shoulders. With a sigh, the Sin Reaper turned back to Sero.

    "As much as I want you to stay out and not cause trouble, I''m aware of how helpful you were in subduing the first outbreak incident. I''m giving you one last chance this time- Don''t fuck things up."

    Sero nodded, understanding what Dante meant. "I''ll try not to."

    "Meredith will act as recon and communications, connecting us with Enzo and Maximillian," Dante began. "I''ll head to the higher ranked outbreaks. You and Amaya, help out with the lower ranked outbreaks and evacuating citizens."

    Sero nodded, feeling a surge of determination. "Understood."

    As they split up to take on their assignments, Sero and Amaya found themselves surrounded by chaos. Citizens were running through the streets, screaming and trying to find safety.

    Sero could feel his anxiety rising as he recalled the last outbreak incident, which led to Casey''s kidnapping. He felt a soft squeeze on his arm, finding Amaya giving him a reassuring smile.

    "Hey, it''ll be fine. I''m here with you." Amaya said, giving him another gentle squeeze. "We''ve got this."

    "Thanks." Sero could feel his body relax a fraction as he returned Amaya''s smile. He casted his usual rotation of skills, summoning his dragon twins and the full face card court to help evacuate the citizens to safety as they came across their first outbreak portal.

    The yellow-ringed black portal was spitting out a steady stream of what looked like fleshy tree giants, their bodies covered in leaves and branches. Sero and Amaya fought against the throng of monsters, their weapons flashing as they cleaved through the twisted forms. They easily incinerated the monsters with multiple Fire Blasts, quickly closing the outbreak within seconds.

    As they caught their breath, they surveyed the area. A few dozen citizens were still nearby, cowering in fear. "Are you guys okay?" Sero asked, rushing over to them. "We need to get you to safety."

    One of the elderly citizens stepped forward, his expression weary. "Thank you, my boy. You and your friend have been so brave. We''re just grateful to be alive."

    "Thank us after we get you to safety," Amaya smiled grimly, helping Sero escort them to the association building.

    As they moved the citizens to safety, they came across another outbreak, this time a group of glowing red spheres spitting out fanged, razor-clawed creatures that resembled demonic insects. Sero and Amaya fought back-to-back, taking down the monsters with ease. As they closed the second outbreak, they glanced at each other, both relieved that they had managed to keep the citizens safe so far.

    Their relief was short-lived, however, as they spotted yet another outbreak portal ahead. This one was much larger than the others, its obsidian surface crackling with arcane energy. The portal seemed to be spitting out massive, demonic beasts with glowing red eyes and enormous, twisted horns. A crowd of Ascendants were already engaged with the beasts, trying to contain them.

    "Sero, go help them out; I''ll get these people to safety!" Amaya shouted to him as she gently nudged him towards the outbreak. She hesitated for a brief moment before pulling Sero back and giving him a kiss. "Try not to die, okay?"

    He smiled stupidly as he watched her dash off to escort the citizens, but then realized the gravity of the moment and turned to join the battle against the demonic beasts. As he ran, he drew upon the power of his dragons, feeling their strength flow through him as he summoned them to his side. When he reached the outbreak, he found himself face to face with the demonic beasts, their glowing red eyes fixing on him.

    With a roar, Sero threw himself into the fray, swinging his sword with all his might. The dragons circled overhead, breathing fire upon the beasts while he fought on the ground. The battle was fierce, the monsters relentless in their assault. Sero could feel himself tiring, but he refused to give in. He drew upon his reserves of strength, summoning his court of cards to help confuse and distract the beasts, giving him an opening to strike.

    In the back of his mind, Sero realized just how much of a difference it made for the Ascendants to have him join them as he and his familiars decimated the beasts with ease, leaving them to stand around and watch in awe. With the last of the demonic beasts slain, Sero assessed the area, noticing Amaya helping to escort the last of the citizens to safety. She glanced at him and smiled, giving him a thumbs-up. The relief he felt was momentary, however, as he noticed another outbreak forming, this one even larger than the last.

    For a moment, everyone froze in place, their attention locked on the portal that split open with a thundering crack. A deep dark purple ringed the void, sending out tendrils of violet lightning that struck nearby Ascendants. Their screams were cut short as the lightning vaporized them in an instant.

    It was the same feeling as before. Sero could sense an overwhelming weight of fear and dread, more prominent than when Malice appeared. The other Ascendants were also frozen in place, unsure of what to do. They exchanged worried glances, their eyes fixed on the portal as it continued to grow larger, its tendrils of violet lightning striking out at anything within reach. Amaya, still several meters away from Sero, took a step back, her expression pale.

    Finally, a humanoid figure stepped out from the portal. Upon closer look, it was a tanned skinned man, with short, dark hair and a black stripe running down below each eye. He wore ornate, golden clothes and a golden neck brace. His chin was held high, his expression arrogant and mocking. Sero was faintly reminded of a pharaoh.

    The pressure radiating off of the newcomer was unlike anything Sero had ever felt before. Compared to Malice or even Gregor, there was one thing that Sero knew for sure: Whoever or whatever this man was, he was incomparably stronger than both of them.

    The man''s dark violet eyes were drawn to Sero, and for a moment, Sero felt as if he was being physically pinned down by the man''s gaze. "Ah, I see you''ve managed to gather quite the little group here," the man said, his voice booming through the air. "How quaint." He stepped forward, taking slow, deliberate steps towards the Ascendants. The air crackled around him, a sinister energy permeating through everyone there. It seemed like the world had darkened slightly despite the shining sun above.

    Sero felt a chill run down his spine as the man approached. "Who are you?" he called out, his voice steady despite the fear coursing through him. "And what do you want?"

    Instead of replying, the man simply gazed around, seemingly disappointed.

    "It seems as though my welcoming party is less than subpar," the man said, his tone mocking. "I had hoped that the ones who were calling to me would prepare something more...grand." He paused, his gaze drifting over the other Ascendants. "But, I suppose beggars can''t be choosers."

    One of the Ascendants who were near the man finally broke, shouting a battle cry as he dashed forward. He raised his axe, preparing to swing down at the man.

    "Wait... no..." Sero could only whisper as he watched the scene unfold before him.

    With a chilling smile, the man''s eyes flashed purple, and the Ascendant who charged immediately went up in violet flames. It was instantaneous, and the other Ascendants recoiled in horror, their hands raised in shock. The burning man collapsed to the ground, his screams echoing through the streets.

    "That was a good start, but I suppose we can do better, yes?" The man raised a hand upwards to the sky. It was a simple motion, but everyone in the vicinity shivered as a wave of unsettling power washed over them. Even Sero felt his heart skip a beat as the man''s energy coursed through him.

    "I am the one who swallows the Sun."

    A roaring wave of darkness erupted from the man, washing over everyone and everything. The shadows blossomed upwards, covering the sky in an endless field of black tendrils. It was as if the world was being swallowed whole by a massive, malevolent creature. As the darkness enveloped them, the man''s form was briefly obscured, but his presence only grew stronger.

    In mere moments, it seemed as if the afternoon had become night, as if the sun had never been there at all. The world had been swallowed by darkness, and the only light left was the man''s own glowing eyes. Even the air felt different, heavier and more oppressive. The city around them was engulfed by an endless void of shadows and darkness. Sero could feel the pressure of the man''s presence pushing down on him, making it hard to breathe.

    "Sero..." Amaya came up to him, gripped his arm tightly. "He''s a Catastrophe, isn''t he?"

    Sero couldn''t respond, couldn''t take his gaze from the man who had just covered the world in darkness. He had never felt such fear in his life, not even when he had faced Malice.

    "Oh? So you are aware of who I am," the man grinned coldly. "I am not just any Catastrophe. I am Apep, the Chaotic."

    "The... Egyptian embodiment itself?" Amaya squeaked, her voice barely audible over the howling wind that had sprung up from nowhere. Sero could see the fear in her eyes, the understanding that this was no ordinary being they were facing.

    Apep laughed, a grating and malevolent sound that chilled Sero to the bone. "Yes, I am. I am the darkness, the chaos, the end of all things." He spread his arms wide, seemingly relishing in the power that flowed through him. "And now, I am here."

    Still rigid in fear, everyone watched as Apep snapped his fingers, sending out a rippling ring of darkness that cleaved everything in its path.

    Sero barely activated his Force Field in time, reinforcing it with all the mana he could muster as he managed to block the wave before it hit him and Amaya. Despite the strengthening, the green barrier shattered upon impact, blasting the both of them away.

    "NO!" He screamed as he lost his grip on Amaya, watching her fly away from him. His Force Field had shattered under the onslaught of Apep''s power, and now he was helpless. The city around him was a shadowy wasteland, the buildings and people blending together into a sea of darkness. He felt like he was drowning, like the world was ending all around him.

    Out of all the enemies he had faced before, Apep seemed to be an unclimbable wall, the apex of power. Sero struggled to get back on his feet, his heart pounding in his chest. Corpses of Ascendants and civilians alike littered the ground, saturated with debris. Sero forced himself to look at Apep.

    The Catastrophe leisurely strolled among the carnage, his movements almost lazy. He paid no heed to Sero, walking right past him. Instead, he stopped at the center of the city, his eyes gleaming with malevolence. "Ah, my little playthings," he crooned. "Your world is so complacent, so ripe for the taking."

    Sero could only watch as Apep snapped his fingers once more, opening up several portals that spat out monstrous snakes. The creatures slithered out of the portals, their eyes glowing red and fangs bared. They immediately converged on Sero and the survivors, moving with unnatural speed and agility.

    "And you call yourself an S-rank."

    A golden staff swung near Sero, decapitating the first snake before it could reach him. A couple of red and blue beams of mana began raining down on the serpent army as a jade spectral reptilian swarm met them.

    Sero shook himself out of his stupor, finding Liam, Elena, Kanna, and a bunch of other people he recognized behind him. Raul, Anya, Sal, Zioth... nearly every Ascendant Sero had met were now here, aiding the survivors.

    "Sero! I''ve got Amaya!" Elizabeth called out to him, slinging one of Amaya''s arms over her shoulder.

    "W-what?" Sero breathed out. He couldn''t believe it. It was like a dream, a nightmare from which he couldn''t wake up. "You''re all here?"

    "I can''t believe you beat me," Liam scowled, casting a combination of Hellfire and Hellspark to cover his body. "Of course we''re here. The outbreaks everywhere else suddenly closed, and we felt a massive presence suddenly spawn."

    "Although... that guy seems much stronger than Malice..." Elena remarked dryly, showing a hint of unease as she summoned her alligator familiar.

    "What about it? We have Sero here," Raul grinned, stepping up and clapping him on the back. "Besides, with all of us here, I''m confident we can take that guy out."

    Sero wanted to believe Raul''s words, but he couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off. There was a weight in his chest, a sense of foreboding that he couldn''t quite explain. He looked at Apep again, who had begun to laugh, his body distorting as he did so. The laughter was chilling, inhuman.

    "Yes, this is what I wanted," Apep cackled, his body shifting and twisting. "I wanted you all here, all in one place. Now, the real fun begins." The air around him seemed to distort, as if he was warping reality itself.

    Sero and the others nervously exchanged glances as Apep''s power rose even higher, pressing down on them like an invisible weight. "What do we do?" Sal whispered, his eyes wide with fear. "He''s too strong."

    "We do what Ascendants are supposed to," Dante suddenly appeared next to them, wielding his Rend scythe. Next to him, Meredith was holding what looked like a gigantic needle in one hand and rings of silver thread in the other. The Sin Reaper moved to stand in front, glancing back at the others.

    "Protect this world. No plans. Just survive."

 Chapter 101: He Who Swallowed the Sun - Part 2

    Sero had never been in a war before, but that was the best way to describe the situation they were in. As Apep''s snakes raced toward them, the ranged Ascendants began to fire off beams of mana, cutting down the oncoming monsters.

    Dante leapt into the fray, spinning his scythe with deadly precision, easily dodging the snakes that lunged toward him. The Sin Reaper was a whirlwind of death, leaving nothing but corpses in his wake. Meredith followed after him, thrusting the needle in his hands like a javelin as he pulled it back with the silver threads.

    Sero found himself beside Kanna, summoning a dark green cannon and firing off a Starfall Railgun. The crowd around them was a chaos of movement and sound, as the survivors fought desperately to hold back the tide of snakes. He glanced up at Apep, still laughing maniacally, and felt a chill run down his spine.

    "We can''t hold them off forever!" Sero shouted over the din. "We need to find a way to take him down!"

    "I''m working on something," Dante replied, spinning his scythe faster. "Just buy me a few more seconds."

    Sero swore under his breath, but conjured up his own reptilian ghosts and Sting to help bolster their numbers. Apep''s power was overwhelming, and even as they fought back, more and more snakes continued to pour out of the shadows. The battle raged on, and Sero could feel his strength and mana waning.

    Apep himself seemed to enjoy the chaotic battlefield despite not being involved directly, his laughter growing louder as more and more of his creations were slain. The battle was slowly beginning to turn in their favor as the survivors fought back, but Sero had a sinking feeling that this was what the Catastrophe wanted.

    "Almost ready!" Dante shouted out, pressing his palms together in front of him, his index fingers curled inwards so that the knuckles touched. "If you all could just hold those damn snakes back!"

    Sero activated Undying Spirit, racing to the frontlines alongside Zioth, who had his own pink aura raging around him. The Soul Strider nodded to him, conjuring his blade and slashing through the serpents with ease. Sero followed suit, his green Soul Blade absorbing mana and strength from the summons as Raul and Liam rounded out their first line of defense.

    The mix between Sero''s and Elena''s spectral reptiles illuminated the streets in a green glow, giving the Ascendants some visibility. Sero''s and Anya''s face court were dashing around, aiding the Ascendants as best they could while providing some relief against the snakes. Sero caught a glimpse of Sting and Anya''s Joker fighting in tandem, as if they''d been doing this for years.

    Three distinct roars, one louder than the other, bellowed across the streets as Moss and Lime flew through the air, adding more disruption while Jawlock rained down fire. Kanna and Sal led the backline of Ascendants, firing ranged mana attacks with deadly precision.

    If it weren''t for Sero''s Perfect Analysis, he wouldn''t have been able to process everything that was happening, but even with it, the sheer scale of Apep''s serpentine army was overwhelming.

    He glanced at Dante, who was now in position, his hands held out, palms facing upward, as if offering something to the heavens. The air around him shimmered with unseen energy, and Sero could feel a pressure building in his chest.

    "Everyone, take cover!" Dante shouted, a neon green light enveloping him.

    Sero''s body buzzed as he retreated, copying the ''Carnal Seven'' skill. Seconds later, a neon green light enveloped Apep, surprising the Catastrophe.

    "Oh? And what is this?" He sneered as the light exploded.

    Carnal Seven, as Sero soon saw, was a skill that determined the target''s greatest sin and manifested it into an antagonistic creature. For Apep, Sero learned that it was Wrath.

    The creature was hulking, a dark green hue that seemed to shift with every movement, like the writhing serpents of Apep itself. Its form was twisted and demonic, several rows of torn leathery wings jutting from its back. It had curved claws, the tips black and glistening, and a massive, horned head that snorted smoke and fire with each breath. Its eyes were like burning jade, and its mouth was filled with jagged teeth, stained red with bloodlust. As it emerged from the neon green light, it let out a roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of the city.

    "Holy shit." Sero said in a tiny voice. Amongst everyone here, he instinctively felt that the Wrath creature was certainly strong enough to contest Apep. The sheer power emanating from the creature was palpable, and even as it charged at Apep, he could feel his blood running cold.

    "Finally! I was beginning to grow bored of my welcoming party." Apep grinned wickedly, as if the appearance of such a monstrous creature was somehow amusing. The Wrath roared back, its massive form shaking the ground with each booming breath. The two invaders circled around each other, though it seemed like Apep wasn''t taking the creature seriously.

    The Ascendants continued to subjugate Apep''s serpent army that relentlessly poured out from the portals, giving the Catastrophe and the Wrath a wide berth. Sero saw Dante down on one knee, his scar distorted with effort as his hands, still in the summoning sign, trembled in front of him.

    "Are you all right?" Sero called out to him as he ran to the Sin Reaper''s aid.

    "I''m... fine. Manifesting someone''s sin takes a huge toll on me," Dante gritted out. "I hate to ask, but in this situation, I''m vulnerable to attacks."

    Sero understood what he meant, changing his focus towards protecting Dante. Apep''s snakes somehow knew that Dante was the source of the Wrath creature as they began to swarm him, hissing and writhing in an attempt to overwhelm him. Sero cut them down as they came, joined by Meredith, who threw his needle out like a javelin.

    Copying ''Silk & Needle'', Sero watched out of the corner of his eye as Meredith''s needle pierced through several gigantic snakes. The Threadweaver yanked on the thin string attached to the needle, pulling it out from the snakes and causing them to crash to the ground, lifeless.

    Meanwhile, the Wrath lunged forward, reaching Apep. The two titanic forces clashed, sending ripples through the air. Sero could feel the earth shake beneath his feet as they fought. The air grew thick with the stench of sulfur and burning flesh, and the sounds of their battle echoed through the city, drowning out everything else.

    Sero kept tabs on the fight as he kept Apep''s serpents from reaching Dante. The Sin Reaper himself seemed to grow more exhausted by the minute, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead and his breath coming out in ragged gasps. The Wrath and Apep continued to exchange powerful blows, their bodies colliding in a flurry of wings and claws. The ground beneath them began to crack, and chunks of buildings started to crumble as the force of their battle reverberated through the city.

    "This... isn''t good..." Dante mumbled. "The Catastrophe... is unbelievably stronger than the Wrath. How in the world is this possible?"

    Sero glanced over at him. "What if there were two?"

    "Champion, you have too many summons out right now! If you try to call forth a Wrath, who knows what might happen to you?" Aphiel cried out in his thoughts.

    "Sorry, but after encountering Malice, I can''t hold anything back," Sero gritted his teeth as he called his dragons over to protect him and Dante. He sat down, mimicking Dante''s hand gesture as he casted Carnal Seven.

    Almost immediately, Sero felt his entire body being weighed down by a great weight, and a green light appeared on both his body and Apep. Just like earlier, the light exploded around Apep, momentarily causing the Catastrophe to misstep and take a hit from Dante''s Wrath. Right after, Sero''s own Wrath formed, a darker hue identical to Dante''s.

    "Oh..." Sero gasped, feeling his mana rapidly drain away as the mental strain from keeping the Wrath creature threatened to overwhelm him. His Rationality triggered, halving the strain, but it was still uncomfortable as Sero struggled to maintain focus.

    Now facing two sins at once, Apep seemed to have a harder time fighting the behemoths, though the smile never left his face. Sero could feel his own Wrath struggling against Apep, as if it were two swords locked in combat. The ground beneath them shook violently as the three creatures traded powerful blows, the air filled with the sounds of their roars and the hiss of the snakes.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "More, give me more!" Apep roared gleefully, upping the speed at which he fought. Sero could only watch in disbelief as the Catastrophe gradually overwhelmed both Wraths, and he knew that Dante was sharing the same feeling.

    Eventually, Apep decimated Dante''s Wrath with a crackling black beam through its head, followed by the bisection of Sero''s Wrath with his bare hands. Both he and Dante grunted with exhaustion as they felt the massive pressure from their respective Wraths vanish. Although drained, Moss and Lime quickly came to their aid, restoring their strength with a soft green light.

    Sero shivered, whether from the cold or fear, as he saw the Catastrophe turn his glowing violet eyes on them. Apep grinned wickedly, charging up a dark violet ball of energy in his hands. For some reason, Sero''s body buzzed.

    "Don''t quit on me now," Apep sneered, "I was just getting warmed up."

    Sero felt his body tensing up as the dark energy ball grew larger and larger in Apep''s hands. He glanced at Dante, who was already trying to summon the Wrath creature again.

    "Shit, what the hell can I do?" Sero muttered under his breath, catching sight of the other Ascendants realizing the Catastrophe was no longer occupied by the twisted summons. He briefly checked his reserves, finding his mana still healthy despite using a vast amount for Carnal Seven. His Rationality was still active, furiously working to quell the terror in his heart.

    Before he could think of a plan, Apep cackled, firing off a beam of crackling dark violet energy towards Sero and Dante.

    Without thinking, Sero fired his own beam of crackling green energy. A second later, he realized that he had copied Apep''s ''Annihilate'' skill.

    The two beams crashed into each other and created the largest explosion Sero had ever witnessed, sending out a wave of force that knocked even Apep off his feet and threw him several meters away. The ground beneath them quaked violently, and Sero felt his vision blur from the force of the impact. He coughed, his ears ringing and his body sore. He hadn''t realized that he was now on the ground as well.

    Dante, who was lying nearby, groaned and slowly sat up. "Can you... give us a warning... next time?"

    "Intriguing!" Sero heard Apep''s voice boom from across the ravaged city ruins. "I never imagined I''d find an Ascendant who could use my skills as well!"

    Sero winced as he saw the Catastrophe climb back to his feet. Apep was looking at him with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. It didn''t seem like it had affected him at all.

    Not wanting to give Apep another chance to unleash another devastating attack, Sero roared and unleashed all of his ranged skills, raining down fire, water, lightning, nukes, railguns, and exploding knives.

    "Champion!"

    Sero ignored Aphiel''s protests, continuing to burn through his mana even as it was regenerated through Undying Spirit''s effects. He didn''t dare look away from Apep, who was already gathering more energy for another attack under Sero''s onslaught. He had no idea how much longer he could keep this up- if it was even doing anything to the Catastrophe in the first place.

    Unfortunately, it seemed as if it didn''t. Apep''s eyes glowed menacingly as he raised a palm towards Sero, ignoring his attacks as if they were made of paper. In a final act of desperation, Sero abruptly ceased his attack, emulated Lawbreak, and teleported behind the Catastrophe.

    "What-?!"

    Sero''s gambit seemed to have paid off as Apep was unprepared for his arrival, whirling around to adapt. Keeping the momentum, Sero conjured the Jury axe, letting it crash down upon the Catastrophe. A part of him suspected the invader to be able to withstand the golden weapon, but Sero desperately hoped the rapid sequence of events would trip him up.

    Proven wrong once again, Apep reacted with inhuman speed, firing the Annihilate at the Jury''s blade and blasting it out of Sero''s grip. The heavy weapon was carried up into the darkness, where it dispersed into green dust.

    "Was that all you had to offer?" The Catastrophe quietly locked eyes with Sero as he charged up another Annihilate. "I had expected more from an Ascendant who could return my skill."

    Sero''s legs trembled, his body screaming in exhaustion as he struggled to keep his eyes on Apep. He knew he was running out of options, his mana depleted from using so many skills in quick succession. The city continued to crumble around them, the ground quaking with each of Apep''s attacks. As the Catastrophe raised his arm once more, Sero steeled himself for the inevitable.

    Countless strands of silver thread suddenly flew through the air, wrapping around and tightening on Apep''s outstretched arm. Snorting, Apep merely continued charging, until several other binding magic came out of nowhere. A blue mana cage, shadowy tendrils, elemental chains... it seemed like Sero''s friends had stepped up to prevent Apep from killing him.

    Or, as it turns out, to prevent Apep from moving as a roar rumbled across the ruins, and a Wrath creature tackled the Catastrophe from the side. In such close proximity, Sero was once again blown away, this time from the impact of the collision.

    The wind was knocked out of him, and he coughed and wheezed as he struggled to get back to his feet. Apep seemed to be momentarily stunned by the attack, but he recovered quickly, unleashing a torrent of black energy at the Wrath. It didn''t stand a chance against the onslaught, and Sero could only watch in horror as the massive creature was incinerated where it stood.

    That wasn''t the only thing the Ascendants had in store for the Catastrophe as countless beams of different colored mana rained down upon him, forcing him to his knees. Even as the barrage raged on, Apep showed no signs of pain save for the slight annoyance in his face. Gradually, he rose back up to his feet, charging an enormous amount of black energy between his hands despite the heavy fire.

    "I''m beginning to tire of this," Apep growled, swinging his hands back. Sero''s body buzzed with power. "If this is all your forces have to offer, then I''m afraid this world isn''t enough entertainment for me."

    Copying ''Disarray'', Sero could only watch, paralyzed, as Apep clapped his hands together, emitting a tremendous shockwave of crackling black energy. Unexpectedly, Moss, Lime, Sting, and all his face cards appeared in front of him, absorbing the brunt of the attack. It wasn''t enough to completely block it, shredding through the familiars and slamming Sero away. The others fared worse, screaming out as they were thrown against the rubble or into the air.

    Sero''s ears rang as he slowly recovered his bearings, painfully propping himself up. All around him, the other Ascendants were strewn about, some already dead, others struggling to rise. The city was a ruin, crumbled buildings and rubble as far as the eye could see. The monstrous snakes were beginning to pour out in larger volumes, unchecked by the sudden lack of resistance.

    In the distance, Sero caught sight of Apep stalking towards a group of downed Ascendants. He recognized one of them.

    "Amaya!" Sero cried out, struggling to stand on his own. His body was battered and bruised, every muscle protesting as he forced himself forward. "Don''t... please don''t..."

    Kill her, was what he wanted to say, but he was beyond exhaustion at this point. He could only watch as Apep casually strolled over, the man''s violet eyes seemingly taking in every detail of Amaya''s battered form. She lay there, eyes closed, blood trickling down her face. Her breathing was shallow, and she looked like she''d been through hell.

    "No..." Sero gritted his teeth, mustering up every ounce of mana and energy he could. "I''m... not gonna lose anyone again..."

    With a desperate and defiant roar, Sero emulated Relentless, pushing the limits of his strength beyond normal. He tensed, pushing off and flying towards Apep at the speed of sound. The Catastrophe merely snapped his attention towards him with unnatural speed, amused.

    But that didn''t stop Sero. In fact, that was what he wanted, to draw his attention. As Apep lifted a hand to smack him away, Sero changed into shadows, becoming intangible as Apep''s palm passed harmlessly through him. Reforming instantaneously, Sero haphazardly stacked a doubled Inspiration, Fairness, Undying Spirit, and Synchronization, merging with Sting''s power as well.

    The result nearly caused him to black out under the tremendous strain of power that literally pulsed through his body, but Sero fought through the pain and sent out a right hook that connected with Apep''s jaw.

    If the Revenge Sero used against Elena was able to shake a stadium, then the one he casted on Apep just now was over ten times, if not more, stronger than that. Sero only caught a glimpse of the shock on the Catastrophe''s face before he was sent back at supersonic speed. Apep slammed against the building furthest away from the nearest downed Ascendant, the green aura enveloping him detonating.

    In the instant that Sero''s punch landed, his mana reserves were completely filled, allowing him to release his buffs and conjure all the familiars he could in the limited window of time present. Even as they rushed to protect the defenseless Ascendants, the Revenge on Apep lit up the entire city in a bright green light, temporarily banishing the darkness.

    Sero managed to cover Amaya''s body with his as the entire world shook. Faintly, he was surprised that he couldn''t hear the explosion, though Sero suspected that the sound was so loud, it deafened his hearing before he could process it happening.

    A shockwave of dust and debris spread outwards, a rippling wave of destruction barely absorbed by Sero''s familiars. It took a moment for him to realize that the explosion had passed, Moss and Lime licking him and Amaya while whimpering. Confused and disoriented, Sero shakily sat up, gazing down to see that Amaya was still breathing, albeit in shallow gasps. Blood trickled down her face, mingling with dirt and dust.

    Sero''s Queen cards quickly surrounded them, healing his wounds and restoring his stamina, but he brushed them off, ordering them to focus on Amaya. He forced himself to his feet, surveying the ruined city.

    Ascendants and civilians alike were dazed, confused, or dead, with a majority lying motionless on the ground as Sero stood amidst the rubble. A ringing began to sound in his ears as his hearing slowly returned. The illuminating green light from before quickly faded away, darkness rushing in to cover the city.

    "No... fucking... way." Sero wasn''t sure if he spoke aloud or not upon seeing the still standing form of Apep in the middle of a crater. The Catastrophe was visibly angry, but relatively unharmed by Sero''s last ditch effort. He locked eyes with him, his violet eyes burning with hatred and despise.

    "What a nasty little trick you pulled, Ascendant," Apep snarled, a crackling aura of black energy enveloping him once more. "Allow me to return the favor."

    Even with his mana completely replenished, his stamina and strength somewhat stable, Sero only felt despair as he saw the unharmed Apep, his aura of black energy crackling around him. His eyes were ablaze with rage, and his mouth curled into a cruel smile. Sero glanced around, searching for any signs of hope or allies, but he knew that with the rest of the Ascendants down, it was hopeless.

    The only one left standing, Sero had no choice but to face him alone.

 Chapter 102: He Who Swallowed the Sun - Part 3

    Sero launched everything he had at Apep, draining his entire mana pool within seconds. The Catastrophe simply fired off waves of Disarray, which was able to disrupt mana flow, explaining why nearly all of the Ascendants were out for the count. In a final, desperate move, Sero fired off another Annihilate, watching it crash against Apep''s own attack.

    Collapsing to his knees, Sero heard faint pops behind him, most of his familiars disappearing as his mana reserves ran dangerously low. There were no more of Apep''s snakes around that Sero could steal mana or strength from.

    Apep stalked closer, an insane grin spreading across his face as he slowly closed the distance between them. He raised his hand, black energy crackling and sparking as it swirled around his fingers, and then thrust it forward, unleashing a powerful wave of Disarray directly at Sero.

    A dark green shape flew in front of Sero, absorbing the attack. Moss.

    Lime howled, dashing forward and drawing green strands of light from Apep. Finally, Sting blinked into sight, rushing the Catastrophe down with a flurry of jabs from her rapier.

    The dragon twins seemed to be at their limits, trying to help Sero recover as well as support Sting by hindering Apep. The Catastrophe was visibly angry, his aura of black energy flaring and crackling as he took a step back. He glared at the dragon twins, his violet eyes burning with hatred. Then, he lifted his hand and snapped his fingers.

    A deep and dark violet, almost black, sphere of sinister energy condensed in front of Apep. With a snarl, he sent it rushing forward.

    ''Ruination'', a Skill that completely corrupted and corroded anything it touched. Sero knew that his dragons and Sting would forever be altered if it even grazed them, instinctively calling them back against their will.

    However, that left Sero defenseless, watching as the mass of chaos sped directly towards him.

    "Champion, move!"

    But he couldn''t. If he did, then the others would get hit. Worse, what if it hit Amaya? Sero didn''t want to risk that.

    With barely any mana left, and the tiniest sliver of strength, Sero forcefully emulated Lawbreak, casting Cat Paradox.

    It helped that Apep wasn''t expecting Sero to put up a fight as the Ruination suddenly vanished without a trace. But Sero couldn''t enjoy the satisfaction of seeing the surprise on the Catastrophe''s face as his body finally gave out.

    Falling to his knees, Sero fought his hardest to stay conscious under the overwhelming exhaustion and agony. His muscles burned, his mind reeled, and his heart raced, but he refused to give up.

    "Why push yourself this far?" Apep mocked, drawing ever so closer to him. "You could''ve fled, prolonging your death. Instead, you chose to stay and watch as everything you cared for crumbled into dust."

    Out of spite and anger, for both the misery he had endured thus far and at Apep, Sero lifted both hands, flipping the Catastrophe off.

    Apep''s violet eyes widened in surprise, and then narrowed. His black energy flared, a bolt of Annihilate flying towards Sero as Aphiel screamed in despair. Sero winced, knowing that he wouldn''t be able to dodge it.

    "Mom, Dad... I''ll see you soon," Sero whispered, closing his eyes as he braced for the impact of the Annihilate.

    But it never came. Instead, Sero heard an audible clang as Apep''s attack suddenly hit something... metallic.

    Opening his eyes, Sero saw that a fortress of steel had been constructed before him, though it seemed destroyed from the Annihilate. Apep himself was a bit taken aback, but grinned as Sero heard two footsteps behind him.

    "Looks like we came back just in time."

    "Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you? There are people dead!"

    "Yeah, but not all of them. That means we came back in time."

    Sero had never been so glad to see the familiar bickering sight between Enzo and Maximillian. Both Janitors had taken off their suit jackets, appearing slightly disheveled. The two men stopped in front of Sero, towering above him.

    "Looks like you got your ass beat," Maximillian remarked with disdain. Normally that would''ve annoyed Sero, but seeing the ridiculous confidence and nonchalance the men carried reassured him.

    "Go easy on him. He''s the only one still conscious." Enzo bared his teeth at the Iron Tyrant.

    "So? It''s the truth, isn''t it?"

    "Two new toys to play with?" Apep interrupted the two, looking a bit miffed at being ignored. "I welcome the challenge. Please, try not to disappoint me!"

    "God, why does this shit always happen to me," Maximillian grumbled, enveloping his body with metal by casting Metallicize. "I don''t get paid enough for this."

    "Teach..." Sero croaked, but Enzo shook his head.

    "Stay down, Sero. You can''t do anything in that state." Enzo crouched, helping him sit up as Sero looked at the two Janitors with an expression that was a mix of surprise and disbelief. "Just rest and let us handle this."

    While he was relieved at their arrival, Sero wasn''t entirely sure the two of them could take on Apep having witnessed first-hand the Catastrophe''s strength. As soon as that thought crossed his mind, however, he was immediately assaulted by two incredibly dense pressures emanating directly from Enzo and Maximillian. With a start, he realized that the two men were preparing to go all out.

    "Don''t get in my way, mutt." Maximillian muttered to the Demonic Judge. "I can''t afford to slip up with so much metal around."

    "Same goes to you, asshole. You think I haven''t noticed the potshots you''ve been taking against me?"

    "Ma''at." Apep spat, narrowing his eyes at Enzo. "I recall another one of her Ascendants utterly defeated by the aftershocks of my strength. What makes this any different?"

    "Well, for starters, that''s my younger brother," Enzo replied, conjuring the Jury in one hand. "And the other thing is¨C"

    Sero saw Enzo disappear, only to pop up in front of Apep in the blink of an eye. It was so instantaneous that even the Catastrophe couldn''t react in time.

    "My abilities are a natural counter to yours." Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    With one swing of the golden axe, Enzo casted ''Retribution'' on Apep, returning all of the damage the Catastrophe had inflicted on everyone excluding the caster. The resulting impact was several times larger than Sero''s Revenge, immediately flattening the rubble around the pair and expanding outwards. However, a choir of screeching metal filled the air and a silver cube of solid steel formed around the combatants, trapping the explosion inside.

    "I hope that kills him," Maximillian muttered, lazily strolling past Sero towards the cube. "Although that''s just wishful thinking. I doubt even Gregor can kill that mutt."

    Sero watched in awe as the cube burst open, with Apep being flung out. Enzo followed closely behind, a crazed grin on his face as he swung his axe.

    "What the fuck are you doing?" Maximillian yelled, irritation on his face as metal shards harmlessly peppered his body. "Did you just break open the cage? You were supposed to fight him inside it, not outside!"

    Apep, still smoldering from the impact of Enzo''s attack, looked up at the white-haired man with anger and disdain. "Fool," he growled. "You think you can contain me? I am Apep, the Catastrophe! I will destroy you all!"

    The Demonic Judge swung his axe down, missing the Catastrophe, but still catching him with the aftershock of the attack. "I''m Enzo. I can''t be destroyed."

    The unhinged grin still plastered on his face, Enzo leapt after the flying Apep, successfully striking him with the Jury axe. Apep howled in pain as he was slammed into the ground, steel chains suddenly erupting from the earth to bind him.

    "Fucking battle-maniac. Enzo, you realize we have to finish him off quickly, right?" Maximillian scowled, his hand outstretched to keep the chains bound to Apep.

    "What do you think I''m trying to do, asshole?"

    Enzo was forced to retreat as Apep used Disarray to dispel the chains binding him. The Catastrophe jumped to his feet, condensing an enormous amount of black energy in his palms. His focus was disrupted when an iron pillar burst from the ground behind him, knocking him towards Enzo.

    "Batter up!" Enzo shouted, raising his axe. Timing his swing, the Demonic Judge smacked Apep with the Jury as if he were a ball, sending the fiend hurtling through the air once more. A storm of metal shards appeared out of nowhere, raining down on Apep and causing him to crash to the ground, pinned by the projectiles.

    "Holy... shit," Sero whispered, watching the two Janitors toy with a being he himself couldn''t deal significant damage to.

    "Ma''at''s and Hephaestus''s champions... they are on a completely different level..." Aphiel also seemed to be in awe. "Where were they all this time?"

    "Knowing them... I think they might''ve gotten into a fight between themselves before they noticed Apep..." Sero replied dryly, wincing as he struggled to catch his breath.

    As he watched, Sero could tell that Apep was still evenly matched against the combined efforts of Enzo and Maximillian, able to rise up against the storm of metal raining down. "He''s gonna break free soon," he muttered.

    It seemed as though the two Janitors also realized this, with Enzo diving back in to engage in close-combat with the Catastrophe as Maximillian kept launching powerful metal constructs at the fiend. The battle was brutal, with both combatants using every trick at their disposal. Enzo managed to land a few more solid blows with the Jury, but Apep''s uncanny resilience made each strike less effective than it could have been.

    Slowly, Sero dragged himself over to Amaya, who was still unconscious. He gritted his teeth, frustrated by the agonizingly slow recovery his body was making. "Stay with me, Amaya," he muttered, his voice weak. "We''re almost there."

    A deafening boom caused him to look back at the battle, seeing the Iron Tyrant fly backwards into a ruined building. The structure groaned as it collapsed on itself, crushing Maximillian. Sero''s heart sank, but only for a moment as Maximillian burst from the rubble with a roar.

    "Fool!" Apep howled, charging towards Enzo. "You think you can defeat me with that pathetic weapon?" He swiped at Enzo with dark lightning, only for the Janitor to duck out of the way. Enzo countered with a swift kick to Apep''s side, sending the Catastrophe stumbling back.

    "I don''t know, seems pretty effective so far," the Demonic Judge bared his teeth as he continued his onslaught. Maximillian joined up with him, and together the two Janitors launched a flurry of attacks, metal and red Hellfire blazing around them.

    For a second, Sero had hope that the two would prevail, but then Apep''s anger seemed to reach a boiling point. "I''VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!" he screamed, his voice shaking the very foundations of reality. A dark aura surrounded him as he grew to a terrifying size, towering over both Enzo and Maximillian. "I''LL END THIS NOW!"

    With a roar, Apep charged at Enzo, who barely managed to dodge out of the way. Maximillian tried to intercept him, but Apep was too fast, delivering a powerful blow that sent the metal-clad Janitor flying across the battlefield. Enzo quickly recovered and engaged Apep in melee combat, their attacks clashing with an ear-splitting metallic screech.

    As Maximillian slammed against another building, it took a while for the Iron Tyrant to get back up again. Worriedly, Sero watched as he shakily stood back up.

    "Fuck," Maximillian growled, turning to Sero. "Enzo and I are reaching our limits. Try and get as many people out of here as you can!"

    Sero nodded and, wincing, began to carry Amaya princess-style away from the combat zone. As he did so, he couldn''t help but watch the brutal battle that raged on between Enzo and Apep. Enzo was starting to show signs of fatigue, and Apep was relentless, pressing his advantage with every blow.

    Amaya whimpered, her eyes fluttering open. She looked around, dazed, and then focused on Sero. "Sero?" she said weakly.

    "It''s me, Amaya," Sero said gently, his voice trembling. "We need to get you to safety." He glanced over his shoulder at the battle raging between Enzo and Apep. Enzo was beginning to struggle, and Apep was looming larger with every passing second. It didn''t seem like they had any chance of winning.

    In a desperate play, Maximillian tanked a hit from Apep, countering by constructing a cage that trapped the Catastrophe inside as the Iron Tyrant was knocked away again. With a roar, Enzo''s eyes glowed red as he casted a duo Revenge and Retribution, slicing through both the cage and at Apep with the Jury.

    Another explosion similar from before rocked the entire ruined city, nearly causing Sero to drop Amaya. The force of the blast threw them both off their feet and sent them skidding across the ground. Sero coughed and sputtered, his vision blurred by smoke and dust. He struggled to get back up, his legs feeling like jelly, and looked around in disbelief.

    Maximillian was nowhere to be found, and Apep had Enzo lifted up by the throat. The Demonic Judge simply scowled at his situation, his Jury axe nowhere to be seen.

    "I''ll admit, the both of you did quite a number on me," Apep sneered, his voice echoing through the ruined city. "But you should''ve known better than to think two would be enough to defeat me."

    "Well, it was supposed to be three, but he''s late, as usual," Enzo spat back with a sarcastic smile, still struggling within Apep''s chokehold.

    "Three?" Apep blinked. Sero was confused as well.

    In the distance, he could hear a whooping, coming closer and closer. The Catastrophe, distracted, turned his head in the direction of the sound. Enzo used the moment to wrench from his grasp, leaping back to create some distance. Next to him, a pile of rubble trembled, and out popped an exhausted and de-Metallicized Maximillian.

    "So, you''re not invincible after all," Enzo taunted, grinning.

    "Shut the fuck up."

    The whooping came closer, and as Sero''s eyesight adjusted, he saw a dark-haired man running full speed towards Apep. The man was wearing a suit, the standard outfit of the Janitors, but it seemed a bit too tight for his rather muscular figure. In fact, as he quickly approached, Sero figured he was as big, if not slightly less, than Gregor himself.

    Apep growled, tensing his massive body as the man approached. The Catastrophe didn''t deem Enzo and Maximillian a threat anymore, and that was because the men were exhausted. But the rapidly moving arrival had an aura about him that even Sero couldn''t quite figure out.

    "He''s late, but he''s always the life of the party," Enzo suddenly appeared behind Apep, his Jury in hand. As Apep whirled around, steel cables burst from the ground, wrapping around his body. Behind Enzo, Maximillian was breathing hard with his hand outstretched, struggling to hold the Catastrophe down.

    "Long time no see, Dune!" Enzo roared, swinging his axe like a bat and launching Apep straight at the incoming man.

    With a gleeful cry, the man named Dune leapt into the air. Sero saw that he wore shades, a strange accessory considering the darkness of the battlefield.

    "How ya been, you two?!" Dune bellowed back before his fist connected with Apep. If he had used any mana, Sero couldn''t pick up on it as Dune''s punch slammed Apep into the ground so hard, it sent shockwaves through the rubble beneath them. The force of the impact sent Apep and Dune flying apart, the wind knocked out of the two combatants.

    But Dune recovered first, a grin on his face as he bounced back up and charged straight towards the Catastrophe. With Dune''s arrival, it seemed to have renewed Enzo''s and Maximillian''s vigor as the three Janitors moved to fight Apep once again.

 Chapter 103: Money Solves Everything

    Sero watched as Dune and Apep traded blows, the force of their attacks shattering chunks of debris and sending clouds of dust billowing through the air. Enzo and Maximillian circled around the outside of the ring, looking for openings to strike. The three of them moved with a synchronicity that only came from months of fighting together.

    As the battle raged on, Sero became increasingly aware of a strange energy emanating from Dune. It was subtle, almost like a second aura surrounding him. Sero couldn''t quite place what it was, but it seemed to be affecting Apep. The Catastrophe''s movements became more erratic, his attacks less focused.

    With a start, Sero realized the second aura might be Dune''s passive, as his Perfect Copy didn''t pick up on any skill usage. Whatever it was, the addition of a third Janitor proved too much for Apep to handle as the three men gradually gained the upper hand. They began to coordinate their attacks, using their skills in tandem to overwhelm the monstrous being.

    Dune laughed boisterously, his body beginning to glow gold as he started to take hits from Apep without showing any visible signs of hurt. Sero''s body buzzed as he copied ''Debt'', a skill that allowed the caster to delay and store the effect of damage as long as they had the mana to supply it. The stored damage would take effect if the caster could not dish it back out or if they ran out of mana.

    Sero didn''t understand why Dune promptly casted ''Interest'' as well, a skill that allowed the caster to greatly enhance the potency of skills, using it on Debt. It wasn''t until Apep suddenly stumbled that Sero caught onto the plan.

    By training all of Apep''s attacks on himself, Dune was able to distract the Catastrophe long enough for Maximillian to set up a steel trap underneath, springing up to bind Apep''s movements. With his body restricted, Dune swapped positions with Maximillian, who continued to wrap metal around the Catastrophe.

    Enzo moved forward, casting Fairness to balance his strength with Apep''s while Dune casted a third new skill, ''Loan'', which allowed the user to transfer buffs, debuffs, or resources between two parties. The Demonic Judge growled as the stored damage Dune had built up was dumped on him, but his Relentless passive kept him moving long enough for him to strike Apep with one final Revenge-clad Jury.

    Combined with another Interest from Dune and Maximillian''s Attract between the Jury and the metal bindings, the resulting impact from the trio''s combined attack was simply incomparable to the previous spectacles. Sero had to look away and huddled over Amaya''s body, conjuring a Force Field with the last of his mana.

    Sero heard the world fall silent, though he suspected it was more due to the sheer volume of the explosion as he painfully lifted his head up. The green force field he casted flickered pitifully before fading away, revealing the leveled ruins of the city. Ascendants and regular civilians alike were strewn everywhere, some dead, some critically injured. All were unable to get back up.

    As his hearing began to return, he noticed that the sky was also beginning to lighten up. Sero inhaled sharply, glancing behind to where the three Janitors were.

    He almost couldn''t believe it, but Enzo, Maximillian, and Dune were standing around a half-mutilated Apep, who was still struggling to break free from his binds. The three Janitors, perhaps save for Dune, looked exhausted, their bodies covered in wounds and dirt.

    "Even with your combined strength, you Ascendants still cannot defeat me," Apep hissed, violet blood dripping from his wounds as he glared at them.

    "Oh, I wouldn''t say that," Dune chuckled merrily, gripping Apep by his steel chains and lifting him up. "It''s a good day for you."

    Apep struggled against the chains, but to no avail. The metal held fast, and Dune, his face twisted into a grin, began to glow with a gold aura yet again. Nearly unconscious, Sero barely registered ''Payday'', a skill that allowed Dune to briefly increase a single stat based on the amount of resources he gave away or lost. Which, in this case, was an unfathomable amount.

    Receiving an immense amount of damage from Apep along with a constant mana drain and then transferring that amount to Enzo? Sero involuntarily shivered from the overbearing strength that spewed forth from Dune. In fact, compared to Apep at his peak, Dune seemed to hold infinite power.

    With an exuberant laugh, Dune tossed up Apep into the air, cocking his fist back. As the Catastrophe fell, the newest Janitor slammed his fist into Apep''s mangled body. Even from where he was, Sero felt the impact of the punch, watching as it literally blew Apep into pieces with a thundering boom.

    Enzo and Maximillian wearily slumped their bodies in relief as Dune continued chuckling, but Sero had reached his limit. The last thing he remembered was reaching out for Amaya''s hand next to him.

    <hr>

    "Jesus, Duke," Maximillian scowled as he conjured a metal stump to rest on. "What the hell took you so long?"

    The man both Enzo and Maximillian knew as Duke ''Dune'' Dunham, chuckled amusedly. "It''s a far run from the 7th Zone to here."Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "You... you ran all the way here?" Enzo blinked incredulously at Dune. "Even if I did that with Relentless, it''d still take me half a day!"

    "Boys, has it been so long that you forget about my Investment skill?" Dune grinned as he adjusted his sunglasses, the sun beginning to pierce through the fading darkness. "I used it to convert a massive amount of mana to enhance my speed, stacking an Interest on that to make me supersonic! That''s how we were able to take down that snake guy."

    "Huh? That doesn''t explain anything?" Maximillian retorted with a questioning frown.

    "Sure it does. Anyone would''ve guessed that I used Debt to store the fatigue and then Loan to transfer it to the Catastrophe. Do I even have to explain my secondary passive?"

    Maximillian opened his mouth, then closed it, extremely irritated. Dune was, of course, talking about his Destitution passive, which continuously stole energy from those around him. The Iron Tyrant shared a look with Enzo.

    "Out of the two of you, I can''t tell who''s more hard-headed," Maximillian grimaced. "The mutt and his lust for battle or you and your insane gambles."

    "I''d say that''s a compliment, big guy," Dune chuckled. "Anyway, I didn''t pass by the big man or the others on the way down, but I did notice the outbreaks being contained. Won''t be long till all of us get back together."

    "All of us? Besides Gregor, I don''t think any of us have had any contact with Madison in a while." Maximillian replied, getting up and telepathically moving metal around to either clear debris or safely transport the fallen to safety. Enzo began to head towards Sero and Amaya, hauling rubble out of the way.

    "Oh? Were you two unaware? Madison came to me for a loan to open up her own practice," Dune grinned, walking with Enzo and Maximillian as they helped move the survivors. "I managed to get permanent contact with her. She should be coming to the 25th Zone soon."

    "Damn, so all of us might actually be in one place? How long has it been since then?" Enzo muttered, picking up a demolished car with one hand and tossing it away.

    "It was only three months or so. Not that long." Dune said, shrugging nonchalantly. "She wanted to open up a clinic to help people with their mental health, but she didn''t have the money. I offered her a loan, but only if she agreed to work for me. I''m setting her up here in the 25th, managing the local casinos and brothels. She''ll be making good money, and I''ll be getting a cut. It''s a win-win."

    "Merchant King? More like Merchant Demon," Enzo bared his teeth and shook his head amusedly. "Even if it''s for a friend, money is always your top priority, huh?"

    "What? You think I''d let someone I care about work for free?" Dune shrugged. "Look, you know how it is. People need money to survive, and she''s got bills to pay just like the rest of us. I''m not forcing her to work, and I''m not charging her any interest. It''s a fair deal, all things considered."

    "Just... how many properties do you own?" Maximillian interjected, feeling a slight relief as he noticed other Ascendants coming to their aid in the distance. "You seem to be everywhere, checking up on your assets. Besides Madison, we hardly ever hear from you. Gwyndolyn I can understand, but at least we can check social media for any news of her."

    "Heh. I''m the third richest entity in the world, with properties in every Zone of the western hemisphere. Only the Fortune¡¯s Favored guild and the strongest S-rank have more than I do." Dune shrugged. "For now, anyway. I¡¯m planning to expand my empire to the eastern hemisphere. I do that, and I have a chance to be the richest man in the world."

    "So then, on top of this, you''re making Madison work for you by managing... casinos and brothels here? Is that legal?" The Iron Tyrant was almost finished with moving both the debris and fallen victims as the Ascendants who weren''t in the fight against Apep came to relieve the three Janitors.

    "Hey, when''s the last time our group operated under legality?" Dune chuckled, following after Enzo as they reached Sero and Amaya. Nearby, Dante and Meredith were stirring, sitting up painfully.

    "You''re the Merchant King, Dune," Maximillian reminded him. "You''re the one who knows how to make money without breaking the law."

    "Ah, but I was also convicted of tax fraud and evasion, money-laundering, scamming, illegal reprinting¨C"

    "Okay, okay, I get it!" Maximillian scowled. "You start talking about your past crimes and Enzo will join in nonstop."

    "What... what happened?" Dante croaked out, seeing the utter destruction that had befallen the city. "Is... the Catastrophe gone?"

    "Yup," Enzo extended a hand towards the Sin Reaper, who took it gratefully. "It took three Janitors to put him down. Speaking of which..."

    The Demonic Judge slightly tightened his grip on Dante''s hand, who slightly flinched, but held fast, calmly meeting his gaze.

    "Considering that all it took was three Janitors to take down someone the combined Ascendant forces couldn''t do, that just shows our strength in comparison to the alliance, doesn''t it?" Enzo whispered quietly.

    "If you''re implying that I still have negative reservations toward Sero, then this war was a clear indication of his character. As long as he continues to aim that power towards our enemies, there won''t be a threat of war between us," Dante said, looking at Sero and Amaya. "Though I''m certain you share my worries on if he loses everything dear to him again."

    Enzo wordlessly let go, nodding slightly. "He''s my student after all, so I''ll watch over him."

    "Hi, I''m Duke Dunham, but you can call me Dune!" Dune strolled up to the two men, oblivious to the tension. "I''ve heard you''re more or less the leader figure of the top five guild alliance?"

    Momentarily taken aback by both the appearance of Dune and the sudden change of mood, Dante awkwardly shook his hand. "Er, nice to meet you. I assume by your attire that you''re part of the Janitors as well?"

    "Rightly so, my boy," Dune boomed, dragging Dante away. "Perhaps not as infamous as the other members, I am still the third richest man in the world. Speaking of which, how would you like to make some extra gold?"

    As the Merchant King pressured Dante off to the side, Enzo knelt down next to Sero and Amaya, whose hands were tightly intertwined with each other''s. The Demonic Judge smiled wryly, lifting the both of them up over his shoulders.

 Chapter 104: More Reunions

    Sero''s eyes shot open as he jerked upright, immediately wincing from the pain.

    "Amaya¨C" he croaked out, disoriented as he gathered his bearings.

    "Easy there, my little bookworm. You''re safe here."

    Sero turned his head, finding Kit worriedly gazing at him. Her mismatched eyes were full of relief.

    "Kit... hey," Sero cleared his throat, aware that he was in some sort of mass infirmary room. "You''re back?"

    "When our group got wind of what had happened here, Gregor let me come back to check on things," Kit smiled sheepishly. "Well, actually, it was more like he was forced to let me come back, but regardless!"

    Sero slowly panned his gaze around the spacious infirmary room. Half of the victims from Apep''s destruction laid on the beds, their injuries varying in severity. He could see the medical staff tending to them, creating a soft clamor. The room itself was immaculately clean, with rows of beds lining the walls, and the smell of disinfectant filling the air.

    As Sero looked to his right, his breath caught in his throat as he realized that Amaya was lying next to him, unconscious but otherwise fine. She had a peaceful look on her face, causing him to stare a little longer than he realized.

    "I take it that something happened between you two...?" Kit asked quietly.

    Sero glanced over at her, then back at Amaya. He looked away for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I... we realized our feelings for each other."

    He expected that Kit would get jealous or give off a threatening aura, but to his surprise, all he felt were a pair of comforting arms gently hugging him from behind. Sero hadn''t realized how tense he was until Kit''s embrace relaxed his entire body.

    "Took you both long enough," Kit murmured into his ear. "Enzo never updated me, but I had a feeling."

    Sero remained quiet, thankful for the Paradox''s hug. With his senses coming back, he was aware of how much agony his body was in. Every nerve in his body felt sensitive and raw. Even the slightest movement brought a surge of pain. Sero had been pushed to his limits before, but Apep nearly broke him this time.

    "Of course, that isn''t to say I don''t have any doubts about the relationship," Kit continued, breaking away. "But I trust you two, and I trust that you''ll make the right decision for yourselves." She smiled warmly, squeezing Sero''s shoulder. "And don''t worry about me. I''ll always be there for you, no matter what. I think Amaya''s the best match for you."

    As Sero turned to face Kit, he saw the genuine concern and care in her mismatched eyes. He knew that she was being honest, and that she truly meant what she said.

    "What are you, my guardian or something?" Sero muttered, feeling a heat creeping over him. Kit flashed a mischievous smile.

    "Like I said, you''re more innocent than you realize. I can''t help but be protective of you." Kit smiled, her mismatched eyes sparkling with mirth. "But don''t worry, I''ll give you two some space. You know, for when you want to... you know..."

    "Hey, hey! What are you saying so suddenly!" Sero protested loudly, his face flushing even more. Some of the Healer-type Ascendants glanced over at him, adding to the humiliation. He had to lower his head.

    The Paradox laughed, wiping tears from her eyes. "See, this is exactly what I''m talking about. You have a lecherous reputation, but when it comes down to it, you''re too na?ve."

    Sero opened his mouth, then closed it. She had got him there.

    "Well, I''m glad you''re okay after a scary encounter like that," Kit stood up, becoming a bit more solemn. "I see Nala and Luna rushing over here, so I''ll let them have a moment with you. I''m going to help the relief force with the aftermath of the city."

    With a final squeeze of Sero''s shoulder, she was gone. The moment she left, a pair of familiar faces appeared at his bedside. Nala and Luna looked both relieved and worried as they took in the sight of Sero awake and looking better. They exchanged glances before Luna stepped forward, her voice wavering with emotion.

    "We felt the battle shaking the entire Zone... Nala and I had to move to safety because the shockwaves were destroying your penthouse... Oh gods, I was so worried about you and Amaya!" The succubus''s eyes filled with tears as she leaned over and hugged Sero tightly, her body shaking with sobs.

    "Shh, shh... it''s okay, Luna," Sero murmured, patting her back gently. "I''m fine now. You and Nala did the right thing." He glanced over at Nala, who was wiping tears from her eyes. "Besides, I''ve had multiple close calls with death. I''m not planning on dying anytime soon."

    The succubus pulled away, still sniffling as she glanced at Amaya. "How is she?"

    "She''s... stable for now. A lot of the stray attacks from Apep struck a lot of defenseless people, but Amaya was lucky enough to suffer minimal injuries," Sero quietly explained, his gaze drifting over to where Amaya was still fighting for consciousness. "The Healer-type Ascendants have worked overtime to place long lasting Recoveries on every patient here, and I''m sure she''ll be just fine once she wakes up."This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Luna sniffled once more, her gaze fixed on Amaya. "I''m just so relieved... You know, Sero, I''ve always thought you were... well, I guess I thought you were a bit of a player. But seeing you with Amaya, I realize I was wrong. You really care for her, don''t you?"

    "Hey, that''s a rude thing to say¨C"

    "Honestly, the both of you complement each other," Nala interrupted Sero, "It''s been pretty obvious that you care for her, Sero. She''s lucky to have someone like you." Nala smiled warmly at Sero before glancing back at Luna.

    "Eh, I''d argue it''s the other way around. Sero''s lucky to have someone like Amaya," the succubus shrugged, much to Sero''s chagrin. "She''s tough, she''s smart, she''s brave... and she''s beautiful too. I mean, look at her. She''s way out of Sero''s league."

    "You just called me ugly, didn''t you?"

    Whether or not they meant to, Sero couldn''t help but relax in their presence, briefly forgetting about the brutal battle he had just survived. It might have also been due to his Rationality cooling his emotions, but for the moment, Sero felt a sense of calm wash over him.

    As Sero bickered with the two, Amaya slowly stirred awake. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked around the ward, still slightly disoriented. Her gaze settled on Sero, and a relieved smile spread across her face. His heart skipped a beat when he met her gaze.

    "Amaya¨C"

    "Thank goodness!" Luna cried out, rushing over to Amaya''s bedside. She took Amaya''s hand in her own and squeezed it gently. "I was so worried about you!"

    "I''m okay now, Luna," Amaya reassured her, her voice still a little weak. "Hey, Nala."

    "Hey, Amaya." Nala said, her expression softening.

    Sero sat silently beside her bed, watching as she regained consciousness. He was relieved to see that she was alive, but he couldn''t help but feel a pang of guilt. For all his obsession with skills, he couldn''t make it count when it came to it.

    As if sensing his feelings, Amaya squeezed his hand gently. "Hey, Sero... thanks for helping me." Her voice was barely more than a whisper, but it resonated through him nonetheless. He squeezed her hand back, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude and relief wash over him.

    "Of course I did, Amaya. You''re my... partner, after all." His voice cracked slightly as he said the words, the weight of their newfound closeness settling heavily on his shoulders.

    Amaya smiled weakly. She squeezed his hand again, her grip growing stronger. "I''m sorry I wasn''t more help."

    Sero shook his head. "Are you kidding? You helped evacuate the citizens while also fighting off the serpents. All I did was annoy Apep and nearly died doing so."

    "I''d argue that if it wasn''t for you, we wouldn''t have lasted as long as we did."

    Sero and Amaya gazed at each other for a moment before Luna coughed loudly.

    "Yeesh. Just how fast has this relationship progressed?" The succubus complained, earning a glare from Sero. "I''m just saying." She shrugged, grinning sheepishly.

    Nala, who had been somewhat reserved the entire time, finally knelt and pulled both Amaya and Sero into a group hug. Shocked, the both of them were taken aback by the Shadereaper''s gesture.

    "You guys... I was terrified that I had lost you both," Nala whispered. "Next time, I''m coming with."

    "Uh, no, I''m hoping that there isn''t a next time..." Sero weakly refuted, but he knew that Culling would do anything to pull something like this again. The trio broke apart, and with the addition of Luna, began to ease the tension by talking about light-hearted topics. It was then that Sero recalled what Luna said earlier.

    "Hold on, did you say my penthouse was destroyed?"

    <hr>

    "Are you gentlemen okay?" Gregor''s face was blown up on the projector as he addressed the four men in the conference room. Enzo, Maximillian, Dune, and Dante nodded.

    "Dune... Duke came just in time to help deal with the Catastrophe, Boss," Enzo said, rubbing his shoulders. "He helped Max and I kill it. Without him, things could have been a lot worse."

    "It was a lot worse," Maximillian scowled. "Too many civilians and Ascendants lost their lives in that battle because we came late."

    "Yeah, but not all of them. That''s a win in my book."

    As Enzo and Maximillian devolved into bickering, Dante cleared his throat.

    "Meredith is coordinating with Kit to organize the Ascendants that came from the other Zones as we speak. While we don''t have an estimate to how large the destruction was, it''s safe to assume that nearly a third of the 25th has been destroyed."

    "With the loans I''m providing, the 25th Zone will be rebuilt, better than ever," Dune chipped in with a grin. "I''ll be hanging around here until it''s complete, so don''t worry about this place, Mr. Stone."

    "Thank you both," Gregor nodded. "I''m glad you could help out." He paused for a moment, considering his next words carefully. "As for the 25th, it''s going to need more than just rebuilding. We''ll need to strengthen our alliances, not just within the city, but across the other Zones as well. With the threat of both Culling and the Catastrophes, we can''t afford to be isolated."

    "What did you have in mind?" Dante asked, shooting a glare to the bickering Enzo and Maximillian.

    "Well, for starters, I''m having all the members of the Janitors meet at the 25th very soon," Gregor replied. "Cassandra and Gwyndolyn are currently with me, so the only one missing would be Madison. Duke, I assume you''ve contacted her already?"

    "Of course, Mr. Stone. Time is money, after all."

    "Glad to hear it. Well then, we three will be arriving in the 25th shortly, as soon as we confirm that all the outbreaks have settled down," Gregor paused for a moment. "And Duke, with your extensive list of contacts, have you managed to get in touch with the Five Serpents mercenary branch?"

    "Not quite," Dune readjusted his sunglasses. "They''re a hard bunch to connect with, even more so than other members of our own branch. But, don''t worry Mr. Stone, there''s nothing that money can''t fix."

    "I''ll leave it to you then. I''ve already informed the Silverbloods, and they''ve agreed to work with us. That won''t be a problem, will it, Maximillian?"

    Enzo and Maximillian abruptly stopped their arguing as the latter snapped his attention towards Gregor''s face on the screen. Dante gazed at the pair curiously.

    "No... I don''t think so," Maximillian muttered. "At least, I think. There won''t be any issue from my side, anyway."

    "Hopefully they feel the same, then," Gregor nodded. "Alright, just keep us updated if anything should come up. We shall meet again very shortly."

    With that, the call disconnected, leaving the four men in silence. Finally, Dune turned towards Maximillian with a grin.

    "Your old group, huh? How long''s it been?"

    Instead of replying, the Iron Tyrant got up with a scowl, exiting the room.

 Chapter 105: Approaching Minefields

    It was nearly evening by the time Luna and Nala reluctantly retreated back to Gregor''s home, leaving Sero and Amaya alone in the makeshift infirmary warehouse. The earlier clamor from visitors and survivors died down, leaving the place eerily quiet except for the occasional groan or muffled sob. Moss and Lime had forcibly materialized themselves and gently snuggled up to Amaya, as if the dragon twins knew that she was still fragile.

    Whether it was due to his skills or stubborn nature, Sero had almost completely recovered from his fight against Apep, but chose to remain by Amaya''s side while she healed. Hands behind his head, Sero glanced up at the ceiling of the warehouse as the pair laid in silence for a moment.

    "You know," Sero began, his voice barely above a whisper, "I never thanked you properly."

    "For what?" Amaya asked, her voice barely above a whisper as well.

    "For basically setting me up after I returned to Earth. You helped me find a place, loaned some money, registered with different organizations... not to mention you tried everything in your power to help my dad," Sero quietly explained. "When I think about it, there was no reason for you to go so far for me, even if you were initially doing so as a liaison."

    Amaya didn''t reply for a moment. She took a deep breath.

    "Honestly, I didn''t really think much of it either. I just- I think that seeing your situation reminded me of my own when the apocalypse happened."

    Sero recalled her telling him about her family. How her parents had perished from the beginning, followed by her sister some time after. He wanted to comfort her, but didn''t know what to say.

    "I''m glad I got to meet you," he finally said, "Even if it was in such a messed up way."

    A soft, genuine chuckle escaped Amaya''s lips. "I''m glad too. You were like a breath of fresh air when I first met you." Her hand reached out and touched his, their fingers intertwining gently. "Even if you were kind of a dick sometimes."

    "That''s... fair," Sero admitted, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. "I''ll try to be better." His fingers gave hers a gentle squeeze.

    "Not that I''m particularly fond of your personality, but don''t change overnight, okay? It feels weird to say, but having gotten used to your... habits, I think it''d be more creepy if you were to turn into a good person right away." Amaya grinned, a playful glint in her eyes.

    "Oh? You''re saying I can keep looking at other women and obsessively copy Skills?" Sero teased back, earning him a painful pinch from the Spellblade. "I''m joking, I''m joking."

    "Good," Amaya said with a satisfied grin. Although she was smiling, it gradually faded from her face. "Actually, be honest with me. Did you really find me that attractive, or was it just because of your lust?"

    Sero paused for a moment, considering her question. "It was... a mix, I think. I mean, you''re not unattractive, but at the beginning, it was more about me just... appreciating women. You were someone that I just met, and I thought it would be fun to... treat you as any other." He shrugged. "But as time went on, I started to genuinely like you, you know? Not just your Skills or your appearance."

    Amaya seemed deep in thought. "So, did that mean you viewed me like all the other women in your life? Nala, Luna, Kit, and countless others?"

    "Well," Sero hesitated, "You''re making me sound a lot worse than I think I am. But, yeah, I guess."

    Amaya laughed lightly. "It''s okay. I understand. People see what they want to see, and sometimes they just latch onto one thing and ignore everything else. It''s human nature, I suppose."

    One of the medics announced to the infirmary warehouse that the main lights would turn off, but nightlights would remain active for safety reasons. As the warehouse darkened, Sero found it hard to see Amaya clearly in the dim glow.

    "But, why me? I know you were interested in Nala at some point, and Kit was practically throwing herself at you, although in hindsight it might''ve been due to her brother complex," Amaya quietly asked after a while.

    "Truth to be told, it wasn''t until we cuddled for the first time that I realized I had feelings for you," Sero admitted with a sigh. "And I think that''s when things got complicated. I started to see you differently, not just as someone I could rely on, but as someone who made my heart race. Someone I wanted to be with, even when we weren''t in the middle of an apocalypse."

    Before, it was hard for Sero to even think about such things, but after countless close encounters with death and being pushed to the absolute limits of his physical and mental strength, the words were easily flowing out.

    "It got me thinking of all the times you helped me out without me asking. Like, I know you were probably doing it because you saw a part of yourself in me, but in my eyes, it was something I''ve never experienced before," he continued, "No one tried to selflessly help me the way that you did, and honestly, it felt nice. The last time I felt like I mattered was when my... when my mom was alive." Those last words caught in his throat.

    Amaya looked away, her eyes softening. "I''m sorry about your mom," she said softly. "I know what it''s like to lose someone you care about."

    "Right." Compared to him, Amaya had lost more people. Even though it wasn''t a competition, Sero couldn''t help but feel as if she had suffered more pain than he did.

    They lapsed back into comfortable silence, listening to the sounds of the warehouse gradually stilling. Then, Sero heard a shuffle, followed by a soft warmth entering his bed and snuggling up to him.

    "Hey," Sero whispered, wrapping his arms around Amaya and holding her tightly. "What are you doing?"

    Amaya smiled, resting her head against his chest. "I just wanted to be close to you for a little while," she replied softly. "I feel like I won''t be able to do that in a while, what with everything that''s been going on."

    "Well, if you keep doing things like this, I''ll seriously think we''re officially dating..." Sero murmured, half-serious. He felt the bed creak as Moss and Lime hopped up to join them, their warm bodies adding an extra coziness.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    The Spellblade giggled, burying her face further into Sero''s chest. "Really?" she asked, sounding hopeful. "You mean it?"

    "Wait, I thought we were taking things slow," Sero replied, scowling as Lime''s tail gently whipped his face. "But I''m not against it if you aren''t."

    Amaya didn''t say anything, keeping her face buried in his chest as she breathed in his familiar scent. She was quiet for a long moment before finally speaking. "I don''t know," she said softly. "I mean, I want to be with you, but... I have a feeling things are going to get worse from here on out. I don''t want you to have to worry about me during times of strife and stress."

    Sero felt a pang in his chest. He understood her concerns, but he didn''t want her to push him away. He wanted to be there for her, to be her support system. "I''ll be honest," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, "things have been tough lately, but... I don''t know. I just feel like... I''ve never felt this way about anyone before."

    "Really? What about Elizabeth?"

    Sero''s heart skipped a beat. Lime, sensing that the mood had changed, stilled her tail. Even Moss shifted uncomfortably, readjusting her wings.

    "Um... well, we actually spoke again in the association building, before the Catastrophe happened," Sero began, quickly rushing his words. "She- I mean, I talked it out with her. She only sees me as a friend."

    Amaya raised her head to look at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "Really? Even after all that time, she still doesn''t see you as anything more?"

    "That... I mean, I thought there was something between us, but I guess I was wrong. She firmly stated that we should set boundaries so that you wouldn''t think that there was anything happening between us."

    For some reason, Sero felt Amaya stiffen in his arms.

    "Champion... even I know that was not something you should have said..." Aphiel''s voice suddenly spoke in his mind. She sounded both exasperated and sympathetic.

    "What? Why?" Sero thought back, nervously staring back at Amaya.

    "Goddess I may be, even I understand her heart as a woman. Think about it from her perspective. A loved one, stating that another competitor wishes to establish boundaries for the sake of her feelings? How would you interpret that?"

    "I don''t¨C"

    "I see," Amaya finally spoke, her blue eyes still locked onto his. Sero felt as if he were a deer caught in the headlights. "And she said she only saw you as a friend?"

    "Um, yeah..." Sero nervously replied. "What''s... what are you thinking?"

    Amaya continued to stare at him long and hard before her gaze finally softened, and she fell back into his chest. "Again, for a Scholar, you sure are slow on the uptake."

    Sero blinked, unsure how to respond. "What... do you mean?"

    She inhaled slowly, relaxing her body. The dragon twins seemed to sense the tension dissipating, as they followed Amaya''s lead.

    "Elizabeth has feelings for you too, Sero. Maybe not in the same way, but she does care for you. If she wanted to remain friends, she would''ve told you that you both needed some space from each other until you and I were stable."

    Amaya paused for a moment, thinking about her own words. "I''m not asking you to choose between us. I know how important your friendship with her is. I just... I don''t want to have to compete with her."

    "How do you know¨C" Sero stopped himself, recalling how Elizabeth had stated that she didn''t want to lose Sero either, in response to his own declaration of not wanting to lose her. Did that mean that Amaya was right? Had he unknowingly led her on?

    The Spellblade softly hit his chest with her fist. "Ugh, and here I thought your personality would ward off other women, but I guess with the rapid growth you''ve been going through, it''s not enough."

    Sero felt himself blush, and he buried his face in her hair. "I-I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to make it seem like that. You''re right. I should have been more careful with what I said." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "I''ll try to be more aware of how my words might affect her, and I''ll make sure to be honest with both of you from now on."

    "Where has this Sero been all this time?" Amaya quietly teased back. "But, it''s okay. As much as I want you all to myself, you''re right- we''re supposed to be taking it slow. And if it comes down to it, I think... I think I''ll be okay if you were to choose Elizabeth over me."

    Her words stung, and Sero knew they shouldn''t have. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but the weight of the words was too much. Instead, he squeezed her tightly, not wanting to let go. Three words burned in the back of his mind, but he couldn''t bring himself to say them.

    <hr>

    "Max hasn''t come back yet?" Dune sauntered in the meeting room of the association, finding Enzo drinking alone.

    "Not yet. But you know how Max is. Always late, always busy." Enzo sighed. "He''s been distracted ever since the Boss brought up the Silverbloods, tirelessly working with the relief team to clear debris in the Zone. Dante and Meredith are also out there, but they''ll be returning soon for an update from Kit."

    "Silverbloods still a touchy subject, huh?" Dune grinned, taking a seat opposite of Enzo. He adjusted his sunglasses, which were still a strange accessory to be wearing inside the dimly lit meeting room. "You want a drinking buddy?"

    "Always," the Demonic Judge bared his teeth, pouring a glass and sliding it over to Dune.

    They drank in silence for a moment, the click of glasses on wood filling the room.

    "You know, I don''t really get it," Dune said, finally. "Why does he care so much about these Silverbloods?"

    "You''re kidding, right? That''s basically half of Max''s personality," Enzo retorted with a scowl. "Before he joined us, Max was part of the Silverbloods. That mercenary group was exclusive to Ascendants with the ability to wield any type of metal."

    "Ah, I see," Dune nodded. "So something happened for him to have a falling out with them?"

    "Fuck if I know," Enzo shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "The only one who knows all of our past histories is the Boss. I might like you guys, but I don''t know more than the reason why the Boss chose y''all to join." The Demonic Judge paused for a moment. "I take that back, out of all of us, you''re the one who''s openly talked about your crimes."

    Dune grinned widely. "As the third richest man alive, it''s not hard to figure out. All my crimes were related to money one way or another. I was a thief, a con artist, a blackmailer, a briber, a money launderer. You name it, I did it. But the thing is, I was good at it. Real good." The Merchant King chuckled, shaking his head. "Until I was thrown into prison. But then the apocalypse happened and I got these abilities."

    Enzo huffed in a laughing manner. "Guess you could say the same for me."

    "Mr. Stone never fully disclosed it, but you were in prison for murder, correct? There are quite a number of Ascendants who were formerly murderers, but what makes you so special? If I may ask," Dune kicked back, sipping his drink as he pulled out a cigar.

    For a moment, Enzo didn''t reply, scratching at a particular tattoo on his neck.

    "Our Classes are based off our personalities, right? Stuff like what we did also influences it. I guess in my case, with the murder of my parents along with other criminals, whatever higher being gave me my Class seemed to think it was fitting for my vigilante shit to be renamed to Demonic Judge." Enzo scowled.

    "Huh," Dune grunted, lighting up his cigar. "Well, I guess it''s like that for everyone, huh? I mean, look at Maxxy boy. With a Class like Iron Tyrant, it leaves little to the imagination."

    The meeting door slammed open and in walked the aforementioned, scowling when he saw Enzo. "You guys talking shit about me?"

    Dune grinned. "No, Max. Enzo and I were discussing the crimes that caused Mr. Stone to seek redemption for us."

    Maximillian plopped down in the chair at one of the heads of the table, motioning for Enzo to pour him a drink. Enzo obliged with a sneer. "I''d appreciate it if you guys didn''t pry into my past. That''s for me, Gregor, and those involved to know."

 Chapter 106: Ditch Day?

    It wasn''t until late afternoon that Amaya felt healed enough to be discharged from the infirmary warehouse. Rather, she was almost itching to be released, worrying about her responsibilities that she thought she was neglecting. Knowing how much of a hard worker she was, it only made Sero more fond of her.

    As the pair left the medical site, they were faced with the aftermath of Apep''s attack on the city. Despite Ascendants and common workers alike rebuilding what they could, the once-bustling streets were now littered with debris and charred remains of buildings. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and ash, making it difficult to breathe. Even the sky was stained with a grayish hue from the haze.

    "Goddamn..." Sero muttered under his breath. Further ahead, he felt a mix of shock and awe at the completely leveled terrain where he and the other Janitors had fought the Catastrophe.

    Amaya looked at Sero, concern written all over her face. "You okay, Sero?" she asked, gently laying a hand on his shoulder.

    "Yeah... just... holy shit..." Sero muttered, still staring at the devastation. "How the fuck did we survive?"

    "You''re too stubborn to die, and because of that, it means I won''t either if I''m by your side," Amaya gave him a reassuring smile. "We''ll figure it out together, okay?"

    While she meant it as a comfort, Sero couldn''t meet her gaze as he returned her smile. "Thanks, Amaya," he replied softly.

    They walked over to a secluded area behind a pile of rubble, Amaya clutching him close as Sero emulated Lawbreak and teleported them over to the association building. As they strolled in, he felt a sense of guilt over the words the Spellblade used to comfort him.

    With his ever-growing power, Sero was becoming more difficult to kill. However, along with his growth seemed to be enemies who far exceed that, putting him into peril more times than he''d like. Compared to when he had first come back to Earth, Sero had grown to be able to somewhat survive against a Catastrophe.

    He glanced at Amaya, who had taken the lead, walking towards the conference room. She thought that it was safer near him, but Sero strangely didn''t agree. Both his parents and Casey had been taken away, the former two due to things he couldn''t control and the latter due to his negligence. Hell, even Elizabeth came close to dying and Sero had been powerless to stop it.

    Shaking his head, Sero lightly forced his Rationality to activate, clearing his tumultuous thoughts. Right now, he wanted to focus on the present, doing what he could to protect it.

    The two entered the conference room, where they saw Kit reporting to Dante, Dune, Enzo, and an unfamiliar woman. Sero ogled at her for a moment before catching himself, maintaining composure. Thankfully, Amaya didn¡¯t notice.

    "So, we have managed to track down the remaining members of a Culling sect that started the monster outbreaks in the north. They seem to have gone into hiding after Gregor and the Janitors put them out. But, I think we''ll be able to flush em out soon enough," Kit said, gesturing to a holographic map of the city on the table. "Our informants have reported that they''ve been gathering supplies and consolidating their forces at an abandoned warehouse near the outskirts of the 7th Zone. We plan to strike within the next few hours while they are still weak and disorganized."

    "Sounds good. Ione and Yelena''s group in the west have confirmed that no suspicious activities have been going on, so they''re looking to meet up with the Five Serpents," Dante replied, noticing Sero and Amaya walk in. "J''takk and Jack have also reported similar findings, and are trying to look for Merlin. Keep us updated, Kit."

    "Copy that." Kit turned around, immediately lighting up with glee upon seeing Sero. "Oh, my little bookworm!"

    "Hey, Kit¨C" Sero''s breath was knocked out of him as the Paradox squeezed him in a tight hug. "Can''t... breathe..."

    Amaya rolled her eyes at the exchange, crossing her arms despite the smile on her face. "Hey, Kit. I''m also here."

    "Sorry, sorry," Kit giggled sheepishly as she released Sero from her grasp. "You guys might be dating, but that doesn''t mean I''ll stop doting over him."

    "Oh, we''re not actually¨C" "We''re still figuring it¨C"

    Both Amaya and Sero tried to interrupt Kit, but she waved them off, a mischievous glint in her mismatched eyes. "Oh, come on, you two. I can tell when a cat''s in love with a dog, and there''s no reason why you two shouldn''t be official."

    "Wait, which one of us is the dog and which one''s the cat?" Sero asked, momentarily forgetting his embarrassment as Amaya continued to sputter.

    "So, this is Enzo''s supposed student, huh? You look like you have a desire to get rich," Dune strolled up to them, grinning as his shades reflected the dim lights in the conference room.

    "I''m listening." Sero became sidetracked again.

    "I''m Duke Dunham, Merchant King of the Janitors, but you can call me Dune..." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    As Kit continued to tease Amaya while Dune attempted to scam Sero, Dante sighed, sitting down at the head of the meeting table. The scar on his face creased as he rubbed his temples and glanced up at Enzo and the new woman. "You guys sure have some interesting people in your group."

    "Hey, with how the world is, there''s bound to be some weirdos," Enzo grinned, baring his teeth. "I guess it''s to balance out the normal people like us."

    In the background, Kit said her farewells to everyone and exited the meeting room, which prompted Dune to rope Amaya into the conversation he was having with Sero. It seemed like Sero was on board until Amaya began to reel him back in.

    "With all due respect, Enzo, I''ll have to adamantly disagree and say that you are nowhere close to being normal." Dante leaned back in his chair.

    "Huh? What part of me isn''t normal?"

    "I don''t want to get into it, but your passive alone is enough to start. Not to mention your unhealthy obsession for fighting strong people."

    "That''s not considered normal?"

    "You just now noticed that, sugar?" the woman joined in, teasing Enzo as he seemed visibly confused. She turned her head towards Sero and Amaya. "What are your names, sweethearts?"

    Sero abruptly froze in place, unashamedly gawking at the woman. She had shoulder-length blonde hair that framed her delicate features perfectly, and piercing golden eyes that seemed to see right through him. Her body was curvy in all the right places, accentuated by her form-fitting black leather jacket and tight blue jeans. Amaya poked him hard in the ribs, snapping him out of his trance.

    "Ouch- I''m Sero," he managed to squeak out, still a little flustered. "And this is my... friend, Amaya." He gestured to her. She gave him a look, clearly not appreciating being introduced as such.

    "Girlfriend." That earned him a sharp elbow to the ribs.

    "Cuddle-partner?" A full punch to the gut.

    "Sorry about him. I''m Amaya," the Spellblade introduced herself as Sero gasped for breath, on the ground on all fours. "I''m an Ascendant Liaison for the association."

    "I''m Madison," the woman grinned. "I¡¯m a member of the Janitors. Nice to meet you two."

    "I''m setting up Madison here in the 25th Zone, just until she makes enough to open her own clinic," Dune interrupted, helping Sero to his feet. "Tragedy aside, it''s good timing, too. Miss Dawn will make a killing here, no pun intended."

    "Oh? Are you a Healer-class Ascendant?" Amaya asked respectfully. "Just curious, since Healer-classes are usually found in medical fields."

    "Sure am, sweetheart. The Deathwalker-class, to be more specific." Madison smiled proudly. "I''ve always wanted to help people in the front lines, you know? And with the way things are going now, we''ll need all the help we can get."

    "What kinda... Skills do you have?" Sero asked, stifling the feeling of greed rising within him. "I''m curious about what kind of healing abilities something named a Deathwalker has."

    Once again, Amaya gave Sero another hard jab to the ribs.

    "Oof, sorry," he gave an apologetic grin. "Couldn''t help myself."

    Madison laughed, waving her hand dismissively. "Don''t worry about it, sweetheart. I get that a lot, actually. People are always fascinated when they hear Deathwalker and Healer in the same sentence." She grinned, showing off a set of perfectly straight and white teeth. "But it''s not like I bring people back from the dead or anything. My powers just let me extend the time they have left, you know? Make them feel better, help them cope with whatever''s ailing them. It''s not nearly as glamorous as it sounds."

    "You kidding me? Madison literally helped me continue fighting when I was on the verge of death," Enzo butted into the conversation, "Paired with my Relentless passive, I was basically a powerful zombie. Not that I ever wanted to be one."

    "Yeah, her abilities might not be centered around traditional healing, but they''re very potent in a pinch," Dune added with a grin.

    "Boys, boys, it''s not that big of a deal, really," Madison laughed again, waving her hand dismissively. "But I''m glad I could help. And if you ever need me, just call, alright? I''ll be there."

    The Deathwalker winked at Amaya and Sero as she passed by, leaving the conference room. "I need to help organize the medical groups around here, so I''ll see you two around. I''ll be waiting for the rest of the Janitors to come here."

    "She''s really cool," Sero said with a grin as Madison left. "I think it''s awesome that she can help people like that." His grin disappeared when he noticed Amaya staring daggers at him. "I still think you''re the most gorgeous woman I''ve ever met."

    "Ugh, you''re so annoying," Amaya sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Anyways. Sero and I are here to help with whatever needs to be done around the city."

    "Not much to be doing," Dante finally stood up from his seat, walking over to the four. "As far as reconstruction efforts, Meredith and Maximillian have that covered. Kit''s keeping everyone in touch and Madison just left to help with support and recovery."

    "Enzo and I are helping Dante with contingency plans if Culling decides to pull another fast one on us," Dune added. "Guess if there''s anything you two can think of to help, go ahead and do so."

    "Actually," Enzo stepped up. "I was thinking you two deserve a break after Apep''s attack. I know the Zone''s in shambles, but the Boss is coming back with Gwyn and Cass. Dune, Max, Madison and I are here along with Dante and Meredith. So, take the day off."

    "Wait, what? But I thought¨C"

    "As much as I find it weird, I agree with Enzo, Amaya," Dante interrupted. "Like I said, pretty much everything''s been covered. Of course, I don''t want you two to completely let your guard down, but..." the Sin Reaper glanced at Sero. "I do owe it to you. You stepped up and fought as long as you could against that Catastrophe. If you hadn''t countered his attack earlier, I think we might''ve died there."

    Sero blinked. He always thought Dante disliked him for several good reasons, but it sounded like the Sin Reaper was just worried about him. Maybe there was more to Dante than he thought. "Well, if you insist... I guess we could take the day off," he said, glancing at Amaya.

    She seemed to struggle with the idea for a moment, but finally nodded. "All right. Thanks, Dante. We''ll try to stay out of trouble."

    "That''s what I''m worried about," the Sin Reaper sighed. "No matter where, trouble always seems to find you, Sero."

    Sero grinned, shrugging it off. "Well, I''ll try not to make a habit of it. And if I do, you can just kill me, like you said before, right?" he joked. Amaya gasped and smacked him on the arm, dragging him away before he could say anything else.

    Dante closed his eyes and bowed his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Enzo looked disappointed while Dune snorted with amusement.

 Chapter 107: Old Bonds

    Teleporting the both of them to Gregor''s house, Sero anticipated the door opening again, seeing Luna rush out.

    "I thought you guys would be at the association building today," the succubus asked with a raised eyebrow, though she was nonetheless pleased to see them both.

    "We were," Sero replied, stepping past her into the house. "But Enzo and Dante said we could take the day off, since they''ve got everything covered. So we figured we''d come here to see how you and Nala were doing."

    As they entered the living room, they saw Nala sitting on the couch, watching TV while eating a bag of sour candy. The Shadereaper glanced up at them, a small smile on her face. "Hey, Sero. Hi, Amaya."

    "Hey, Nala." Sero said, taking a seat next to her. "What are you watching?"

    "Oh, just some old show about these monster hunters," she replied, shrugging. "It''s alright, I guess. There''s this one character who''s really cool. His name''s Slayer or something."

    Amaya sat down next to Sero and laid her head on his shoulders. "That sounds cool. I like that name," she said. "What do you think, Sero? Think you could ever be a monster hunter?"

    "Aren''t we all technically monster hunters already?" Sero smiled wryly. "I mean, we''ve pretty much been slaying monsters left and right the past couple of days."

    Nala grinned. "Yeah, but I mean like in a cool job or something. I could totally see you as a hero. You''ve got the brains and the brawn for it."

    "Or the villain," Luna interjected, earning a glare from Sero.

    "If you really want me to be one, I''ll start by slaying you."

    "H-hey, I was just kidding..."

    Amaya snorted, lightly punching Sero''s arm. "At any rate, we''ve been told to relax, so the four of us can actually do something together since we haven''t done that in a while."

    "Like what?" Luna asked, trying to change the subject. "To be completely frank, the city is mostly under construction, so we can''t exactly go out and do anything."

    "True," Sero mused, "Amaya and I need to be on standby anyway, so maybe we could try doing something simple..."

    "Baking." Nala immediately suggested, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I''ve always wanted to try baking desserts."

    The other three shared a look between themselves.

    "Well... alright then," Sero said with a shrug. "I guess we could try that. Amaya, you got any ideas on what to make?"

    <hr>

    Maximillian scowled as he felt a familiar presence walking up to him from behind.

    "You know, it''s been a long time since I saw you use your abilities for somethin'' other than fightin''," Madison remarked as she stood next to Maximillian. "I swear, the last time I saw you, you were locked in a heated fight against Enzo for no good reason."

    "Madison," Maximillian nodded to the Deathwalker. "When did you arrive in the 25th Zone?"

    "Last night, hun. Dune was gracious enough to fly me out here right after the fight with the Catastrophe," Madison folded her arms as she watched Maximillian control metal and reconstruct the frames of the destroyed buildings. "Speaking of, how''d that go? I reckon we''ve never faced anything as strong as one before."

    "It was... challenging," Maximillian admitted with a sigh, looking out across the 25th Zone. "That mutt Enzo and I actually struggled against Apep, but Dune came in the nick of time. Or was it later than he should''ve? Regardless, it only made me realize just how weak I am."

    Madison chuckled. "Ah, Maxy, you''re always so hard on yourself. Just ''cause you lost to someone doesn''t mean you''re weak."

    "I didn''t-! We didn''t lose to Apep," the Iron Tyrant scowled. "It wasn''t even a match, it was a fight to the death."

    "Wasn''t talking ''bout the Catastrophe, hun," Madison teased with a smirk.

    Maximillian opened his mouth, then closed it. As much as he wanted to snap at her, as normal as Madison may have seemed on the surface, he knew very well just what kind of person she was. If anything, a common fear of Madison was one of the few things Maximillian, Enzo, and even Dune himself shared.

    "So? What are you doing now?" Maximillian wisely decided to keep his annoyance in check.

    "Well, I''ve already set myself up with the medical teams here, so I''m takin'' a break before I go back and work my magic," Madison glanced at her nails. "What about you, Maxy? Anything exciting planned?"

    "If by exciting, you mean being made to reinforce the framework of every goddamn building that was destroyed for free? Then no, nothing else besides that."

    "Oh? But I heard the Silverbloods were fixin'' to work with us. You don''t have any plans with them?"

    "I''d rather not, if it''s all the same to you," Maximillian grunted. "They''re an annoying bunch, if you ask me."

    "But... they''re often considered highly respectful, on account of their traditions. Furthermore, the Five Serpents are the kindest, which is a stark contrast to their looks," Madison blew softly on her fingers. "Only us Janitors are seen as the bad boy-types."

    "A group of seven ex-criminals turned mercenaries for hire? Wow, it''s like you''d have expected nothing else," the Iron Tyrant replied sarcastically, causing Madison to roll her eyes.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    "Well, at least we''re honest about it. I prefer that to people pretending to be something they''re not," she shrugged. "And besides, who doesn''t love a bad boy?"

    "I''m not a- please don''t group me into that category."

    "Why not? We''re all criminals in the grand scheme of things. Just some of us have a better PR team," Madison winked before walking away, "I''m gonna go check on the others."

    Maximillian breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn''t that Madison was stronger than him or Enzo. Actually, as the default medic of the Janitors, Madison was at the very bottom of the list when it came to sheer power and strength. Rather, instead of strength, it was more so the way she conducted herself in battles and fights. Maximillian shivered as he recalled the last time he''d gone on a mission with her. Honestly, he''d rather fight Apep again than to fight against her.

    <hr>

    "My dears, are you alright?" Gregor rumbled as he, Cassandra, and Gwyndolyn finished clearing out the A-rank outbreak, watching as the portal snapped shut.

    Cassandra nodded happily, her expression unfocused as Gwyndolyn flashed a thumbs-up.

    "All good here, sir. Think it''s about time to head back to the 25th?" Gwyndolyn asked.

    "I believe so," Gregor agreed. "Let''s get back to the 25th and make sure everything''s in order there. The 16th Zone should be safe for now."

    The trio piled into a small private jet that had been commissioned by Dune to fly them back to the 25th. Cassandra immediately made for the lavishly appointed bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. Gwyndolyn chuckled and sat down next to Gregor out in the main conference area.

    "Thank you for your hard work, my dears," Gregor began, nodding towards the passed out Cassandra in the back. "You''ve both been of great help in quelling the monster outbreaks."

    "Oh, don''t mention it, sir," Gwyndolyn said with a smile. "It''s our pleasure to serve."

    Gregor chuckled, a low rumbling sound like thunder. "If only I could get the boys to cooperate like you two do."

    "Oh, we''re all a family here, sir," Gwyndolyn said with a wink. "Even if we don''t always see eye to eye, we''re always there for each other in the end." Behind her, Cassandra began to snore softly.

    "Family, huh?" the Conqueror murmured. "I wonder how Nala''s doing."

    "I wouldn''t worry, sir. I might not know much about Sero, but if he''s earned the respect of Enzo to be considered a student of his, then I''m sure your daughter is in good hands."

    Gregor nodded thoughtfully. "You''re right, of course. I shouldn''t underestimate Sero''s abilities. Still, it''s difficult not to feel a little protective, you know?"

    The private jet lifted off, soaring through the air as they began to head back to the 25th.

    "Sir... if you don''t mind me asking... why did you choose us to be on the Janitors? And why stop with the seven of us?"

    Gwyndolyn''s question took Gregor by surprise. He paused for a moment, considering his response. "To answer your second question, there was really no end number I was planning to stop at. Quite frankly, I believe the Janitors could always use more members."

    The Conqueror leaned back in his chair, pondering for a moment. "Enzo was the first one I came to, asking if he would like a second chance to do right by his sins. From there, I just happened to come across the rest of you who were down in life, for one reason or another. It was more of a happenstance than anything else."

    "But why me? I''ve always been... different. Not a criminal, per se, but not exactly normal, either."

    "My dear, criminal or not, those with heavy burdens are always welcome to be a part of my Janitors," Gregor smiled kindly, "As for why you... well, it''s quite simple, really. I saw something in you, something that I knew could be useful. And I believe that everyone deserves a second chance, even if that means being given a task that they might not necessarily enjoy."

    He paused, thinking for a moment. "And, of course, there''s the fact that you''re one of the few people who can understand what it''s like to be different. To be an outcast. To be feared and misunderstood. I think that makes you particularly well-suited for this group of similar misfits."

    "Well, I did have a scandal that nearly turned the music industry upside down..." Gwyndolyn chuckled, trying to downplay her past. "I guess I was just curious. All of us know a bit about what the others have done, but you''re the only one we don''t know about, sir. Any reason why?"

    Gregor gave her a thoughtful look. "I have lived a long life, my dear. I have seen many things, and I have done my fair share of good and bad. I have secrets, yes, but sharing them would not necessarily help you understand my intentions or my goals. Perhaps one day, when the time is right, I will reveal more. For now, let us focus on the task at hand."

    Gwyndolyn nodded. Despite Gregor never talking about his past, the Serenade knew that her, along with the other five members of the Janitors, fully trusted him, and wouldn''t ever doubt his intentions. They were all here because they believed in what he was trying to accomplish, and they would follow him until the end, no matter where his secrets might lead them.

    "Do you think you''d allow Sero to join the Janitors if he wanted to, sir?" Gwyndolyn changed the subject, picking up her cup of coffee.

    Gregor gave an amused chuckle. "You wound me, Gwyndolyn. You make it sound like I have some sort of veto power over who can or cannot join the Janitors. In truth, it is the other members who decide who should be invited. They each have their own criteria for who they think would make a good addition to our ranks. As for Sero, I cannot say for certain. I''m sure if he were to express an interest, the others would give his application due consideration."

    "Is that so?" Gwyndolyn raised an eyebrow. "I''m pretty sure me and the others are fine with anyone you choose to extend membership to. Plus, I don''t think most of us knew that you considered our opinions when recruiting members," she set down her cup. "I''m only asking because it''s been a while since we added a member, even though I was the newest one."

    "Has it? How long ago did you join?"

    "Roughly... six months ago?"

    Gregor nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, it has been some time since we''ve had anyone new join our ranks. I suppose it''s because we''ve been busy with our own tasks and assignments. But rest assured, Gwyndolyn, if any new members were to be added, I would take your opinion into consideration."

    The Serenade smiled gratefully. "Thank you, sir. Maybe I''ll tell the other members so that they''re aware of this."

    "Please do. To backtrack, why did you ask about Sero? Did he express any desire to join us?"

    "From what I''ve heard, he''s adamant on not joining any guilds, but he hasn''t exactly taken a stance on joining mercenaries branches. I just thought maybe it''d be something he''s interested in," Gwyndolyn explained. "Not that I have personal preference on whether or not he does join, but even I have to take note of how strong he''s becoming."

    Gregor nodded thoughtfully. "I see. I won''t deny that Sero is quite powerful, even for one of his age. However, I think his reasons for not wanting to join a guild are more personal than anything else. He''s not against working with others; it''s just that he prefers to do things his own way. And while we do respect that, it''s important to remember that being part of a group comes with certain responsibilities and expectations. But, as I said, that is something for the others to decide."

    The Serenade seemed to ponder this information for a moment before speaking again. "I suppose I can understand that. Still, it''s not every day that you come across someone as strong as him who can copy the skills of other Ascendants."

    <hr>

    In Gregor''s kitchen, Sero sneezed, sending out a cloud of flour everywhere.

    "Hey, watch it! You''re gonna get that flour everywhere!" Amaya called out as she handed Nala a bowl of cookie dough. She immediately tried to wrestle it back before the Shadereaper could eat it.

    "Yeah, sorry," Sero sniffed with a frown. "It''s weird. I felt like someone was talking about me."

 Chapter 108: The Prelude to War

    A few days later, the 25th Zone began to shape up nicely, a majority of the destroyed buildings having been repaired or rebuilt. For the most part, activities surrounding monster outbreaks and Culling weren''t prominent, simultaneously giving Sero and the others a moment of relaxation and a sense of unease.

    Though Gregor and the others had arrived earlier, the Conqueror seemed to have postponed the meeting until now, for personal reasons no one knew.

    As Sero and Amaya filed into the conference room, they found Gregor and the other Janitors already seated around the table, deep in conversation with the heads of the Pentagram along with Elizabeth and her two squad members.

    "Nice of you to finally join us," Dante grumbled as Sero walked in. "I only recall granting you one day of break."

    "Sorry, sorry, I got caught up in something," Sero muttered, taking a seat. He glanced around the room, noticing that everyone seemed to be on edge. He could feel the weight of their gazes upon him. "Did... something happen?"

    "Not at all," Gregor responded with a reassuring smile. "We were just discussing the recent developments in the 24th and 26th Zones." The Conqueror turned to Kit. "If you''ll catch everyone up to speed?"

    "Right," the Paradox stood up, her mismatched eyes glancing around the room. "As I''m sure you guys know by now, Culling''s succeeded in bringing over a Catastrophe to this world. Thanks to the combined efforts of Sero, Duke, Enzo, and Max, the Catastrophe was defeated. That isn''t to say we didn''t suffer heavy casualties," she added, her voice growing solemn.

    Next to him, Sero sensed Amaya shivering. He grasped her hand under the table, comforting her as much as himself.

    "As of now, this has been declared one of the worst attacks in the western hemisphere, prompting our government leaders to rely on us to help," Kit continued. "They''ve promised increased funding for the defense of the remaining zones, and they''ve assured us that they''ll do everything in their power to make sure this doesn''t happen again. Of course, they also want to know what went wrong. They want answers."

    "What have we told them so far?" Dante asked.

    "Just that we were tracking a group of suspicious individuals who might have been involved in the summoning of a Catastrophe," Gregor answered. "Of course, we informed them of Culling''s rising activity across both hemispheres, and reassured them that Ascendants were taking action. We didn''t mention Sero or any of the others by name, as per our usual protocol."

    Sero blinked. "Usual protocol?"

    Gregor nodded. "Yes. We''ve found it best to maintain a certain level of secrecy, even among those we consider allies. It helps to keep the focus on the mission, rather than on any one individual."

    "Meaning the world leaders allow us to do things not within the laws in order to maintain balance," Enzo interjected. "If the Boss had name-dropped you, me, Dune, or Max, it''d raise questions from the public."

    "It''s why we Janitors have an infamous reputation," Dune grinned, his shades reflecting the lights of the conference room. "The government doesn''t trust us to keep secrets, but they have no choice. They need us."

    "Hey, they need the A.R.E.S. division as well," Jack protested, gesturing to himself. "And we''re not exactly shrinking violets. We''ve done some shady things too, in the name of protecting the balance. But it''s not like we''re above the law or anything."

    "Can we stay on topic here?" Dante interrupted with a sigh, his scar distorted on his face. "We can argue over which of our groups is needed by the government, but at the end of the day, the main threat we all need to focus on is Culling and how to stop them from summoning more Catastrophes. Or worse."

    "Agreed," Gregor said, nodding at Dante. "Culling is clearly our greatest enemy. And they''re not going to stop," he turned to Kit. "Please continue, my dear."

    Kit smiled gratefully. "Culling has proven to be a formidable foe, and they''re only going to become more dangerous. Our best course of action is to continue tracking their movements and gathering intelligence on their activities. We also need to find out who or what is driving them. They seem to have access to powerful resources and information that we cannot match." She glanced at Ione. "Which is why we should do the same. We''ve already made contact with the Silverbloods mercenary branch, who will work with us and send an envoy to keep in touch. Dante and the other Pentagram heads have established alliances with many powerful guilds, while Ione has been helping Elizabeth and I track down the rest of the top 10 S-ranks."

    "And how far along are you with that?" Gregor asked.

    "Admittedly, not that far," Kit smiled wryly. "We''ve only managed to contact number 9- Aedan, which leaves the last six''s whereabouts unknown. Although, you''d think that Ione or I would be able to find Hyerin..."

    "Perhaps," Ione said, glancing at Kit. "But as you know, Hyerin is known for her... unique methods. It''s hard to track someone who can hide in plain sight."

    "I don''t think she even means to hide in plain sight..."

    "Focus," Dante tiredly repeated.

    "Sorry. Anyway, to conclude this meeting, the last important thing that needs to be done now is to make contact with the Five Serpents," Kit continued. "They are one of the most elusive mercenary branches in the world, specializing in covert operations that I''m sure even the Janitors might have trouble dealing with."

    "Is that a challenge?" Enzo raised an eyebrow, prompting Gregor to smack him in the back of the head.

    "No, no, we''re just stating facts," Kit clarified. "It''s not a challenge per se. We simply need to reach out to them for their expertise and possibly request their aid in dealing with Culling. However, as you might imagine, contacting them isn''t as easy as sending them an email. It''s a delicate process that requires careful consideration."This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    "We pretty much need to find any of the five leaders of the branch," Dune chuckled wryly. "The lower-ranked members don''t know where they are, and they receive their orders from the leaders through highly secure channels."

    "Well, what about Tarako?" Gregor quietly asked.

    The room seemed to shiver from the name. Sero got the impression that whoever Tarako was, he was extremely influential and powerful.

    "Last I heard of him, the Dragon King literally jumped into an active volcano, his last words being ''I want to see if I can bench-press the world''," Dune awkwardly answered.

    Sero didn''t expect to hear such an absurd story, but it seemed to fit the picture of an elusive and powerful figure like Tarako. "Hey, who''s this Tarako guy, and why does he sound absolutely unhinged?" He quietly whispered to Amaya.

    "Tarako Han, the Dragon King, is the number one S-Rank Ascendant in the world. His strength is unmatched, and at one point he quite literally fought against the other nine S-Ranks- all by himself, and won." Amaya whispered back, her voice filled with a mixture of awe and fear. "He''s known to be extremely carefree and self-indulgent, doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants. In the eyes of the government, he''s a threat and a menace, but to us, he''s a problematic man-child. I mean, he hasn''t done anything evil, he''s just so ridiculously powerful that nothing seems to bother him."

    "Well, it''s good to know we''re dealing with someone who''s at least approachable." Sero said with a hint of sarcasm. "So, do we have any leads on where to find him?"

    "If you were following along earlier," Dante raised his voice, interrupting Sero''s and Amaya''s conversation. "Tarako was last seen jumping into an active volcano south of the 25th Zone."

    "That''s a very general location," Maximillian said with a hint of annoyance. "I mean, it''s like saying he was last seen on Earth. We need something more specific."

    "With that, I think it''s time we laid out our tentative plan," Kaizo finally spoke next, adjusting his glasses. "While we focus on searching for more allies, the other half of our forces are constantly hunting down traces of Culling activity, learning that individuals called Pillars act as focal points for the cult to gather and coordinate. Once we''ve found one of those Pillars, we plan to strike, crippling their operations in the process."

    Sero clenched his jaw, tightening his grip on Amaya''s hand. He had faced these Pillars before, killing Thaddeus and revealing Malek to be one.

    "Against many protests, we''ve decided to make Sero the central key of hunting down these Pillars," Kaizo continued, shocking Sero out of his thoughts. "He''s had the most experience with them, and has even... defeated one, crippling a part of their operations."

    "That''s not entirely true," Sero interjected. "I was just lucky that time. There''s no telling how things will turn out next time."

    "Are you saying you don''t want to be a part of this?" Dante asked him, his eyes glowing neon green. "I thought you, of all people, would''ve jumped at the chance to hunt down the people who''ve caused you misery."

    "I..." Sero hesitated, glancing at Amaya, then Elizabeth. "Er, yeah, I do."

    "Then it''s settled," Dante said, giving him a hard stare. "You''re in."

    Sero felt Amaya''s hand squeeze his, and he caught her questioning gaze. Truth to be told, had this been discussed earlier, Sero would''ve immediately been on board and tried to set off at once. But, with things developing between him and Amaya, he strangely found himself reluctant to leave her side. It was a feeling that was both foreign and familiar at the same time. He knew he was being selfish, but he couldn''t help it.

    Gregor nodded, acknowledging his new role in the hunt for Pillars. "Good. The sooner we find them and put an end to their activities, the better. Now, about these other matters..." He looked around the table, eyes lingering on Elizabeth. "What''s the status of A.R.E.S.? Any new developments we should know about?"

    "Well, given our technology, we''ve tried working with the members of the Five Serpents to help track down their leaders in order to convince them to help us, but... frankly, we''ve had little luck. They''re practically phantoms. We''ve also been looking into any leads on the whereabouts of the remaining S-ranks, but so far, nothing substantial." Elizabeth paused, taking a sip of her tea before continuing. "However, we have managed to set up a few meetings with other mercenary branches to discuss possible collaborations and information sharing. We''re hopeful that something will come of that."

    Dante leaned forward, his expression interested. "And what about your efforts to develop new weapons or enhance existing ones? Anything promising there?"

    Elizabeth smiled weakly. "Compared to you Ascendants, the strength of regular humans really can''t compare. Of course, the A.R.E.S. units we wear just might let us fight on par with at most maybe a B-rank, but other than that, there''s nothing new on our side. At least, nothing that works right now."

    "And what about you, Sero?" Dante asked, switching his focus over to him. "Any ideas on how to bring down the Pillars?"

    Sero blinked. "N-not really. I''m not even sure where to start, to be completely honest."

    "Don''t worry about that," Kaizo assured. "We''ve been gathering intel on where the Pillars of Culling might be hiding, but we''re not exactly confident in our abilities to take them out without a small army. Of course, we''ve heard that you took down Thaddeus and fought Grodley Malek at the same time, so please help us determine what we need to prepare beforehand."

    Sero clenched his jaw. He understood the subtext of Kaizo''s words, that the Archivist was asking if Sero would be enough to take out the Pillars himself, given that there was a possibility of the alliance not having enough people to help.

    "Yeah... I''ll do my best."

    <hr>

    The meeting continued for a while, and eventually Sero needed a break, excusing himself. Amaya glanced up at him with a curious glance, but he shook his head, silently telling her he wanted to be alone for the moment.

    Outside the conference room, Sero took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He knew that he couldn''t just let the Pillars of Culling continue their plans. He had to do something. But what? He wasn''t sure where to even begin.

    "Aphiel... if you''re listening, is there anything I can do right now?" Sero whispered to himself, finding it weird that he was actually praying to his goddess for hope.

    For a moment, there was no response from her in his thoughts. Sero sighed and sat down on a nearby bench.

    "Champion?"

    His head jerked up at Aphiel''s voice. The goddess had manifested her form in front of him, glancing at him with a worried look.

    "H-Hey," Sero stammered. "I wasn''t expecting you to answer."

    "Well, I was not expecting you to actually pray to me."

    "I... I wasn''t, really. I just..." Sero sighed, feeling embarrassed. "I''m just at a loss, Aphiel. I don''t know what to do about the Pillars. I don''t know how to find them, or how to stop them. And with everything else going on... I feel like I''m letting everyone down."

    Aphiel''s emerald eyes studied him silently before the goddess stepped closer to him.

    "Champion, while I do not know everything about you, I have seen your rapid growth and progress. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that you will find a way no matter what. Possibly not the best way, but a way regardless."

    Sero frowned at her words, feeling like they weren''t enough. He wanted a concrete plan, something to guide him. But Aphiel continued, "For now, focus on gathering information about the Pillars and their whereabouts. Trust in your allies and their abilities, and do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it."

    She paused, her emerald eyes boring into his own. "And, Sero? Do not be too hard on yourself. You are not letting anyone down. You are doing the best you can, and that is all anyone can ask of you."

    Her words seemed to settle something in him. He took a deep breath and nodded, feeling a little more at ease. "Thank you, Aphiel. I''ll do my best."

 Chapter 109: A Cursed Gift

    Sero knew he should¡¯ve returned to the meeting, but a part of him wanted to stay outside a little bit longer. The dragon twins Moss and Lime had materialized without his command, nuzzling him comfortingly as if they knew he was troubled.

    The warmth of their scales and the softness of their breath were a comfort he hadn''t realized he needed. He sighed, leaning back in the chair. No use in wallowing about it. Sero decided to just keep moving forward, even if he was lost on what to do next.

    Recalling the dragon twins, Sero reentered the meeting room, his steps hesitant. The others had continued their discussion without him, and he didn''t want to interrupt. As he took his seat, he noticed Dante glance over at him briefly before returning his attention to the others.

    "...and so, Sero, we were hoping you might have some input on that. What are your thoughts?" asked Elizabeth, gesturing for him to join the conversation.

    "Pardon?" He blinked, not realizing the conversation had moved on without him. "Oh, sorry. Yes, um..." Sero cleared his throat, gathering his thoughts. "I think... it''s important that we focus on gathering as much information as we can about the Pillars. If we know what we''re up against, we can come up with a plan to deal with them. And I trust my allies, including you all, to help me in that regard." He glanced around the room, meeting each person''s gaze in turn.

    His words seemed to reassure the others, and there were nods of agreement. Dante looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "Yes, information is key. We''ll need to gather as much as we can on the Pillars, as well as their location."

    Elizabeth nodded. "And we''ll need to coordinate our efforts carefully. If we all go after them at once, it could lead to confusion and disarray. We must strike at the right moment, with the right strategy. A.R.E.S. will be able to help with timing."

    Eventually, Sero tuned out the meeting once again as they discussed plans to coordinate with other Ascendants in other Zones. He had no direct influence over those groups and didn''t see the point in discussing them. Instead, he focused on Amaya, who sat silently beside him. He reached over and took her hand in his, squeezing it gently. She squeezed back, her grip reassuring.

    It felt like an eternity by the time the meeting finished. Sero sat back in his chair, exhausted from both the mental and emotional strain of the day''s events. He glanced over at Amaya, who seemed equally fatigued but was still trying to stay alert. He reached out a hand and placed it on hers, offering what little comfort he could in that moment. She smiled weakly back at him.

    "So much for our break," he remarked wryly.

    Amaya gave a soft laugh. "I suppose it was too much to hope for. But at least we have each other."

    Sero became aware of a pair of eyes watching them. He turned, catching sight of Elizabeth hurriedly turning away, blushing.

    With a jolt, Sero recalled his earlier conversation with Amaya, slowly sensing the emotions Elizabeth had for him. He didn''t know how to react, so he pretended not to notice.

    "Sero, if I could have a word with you?" Gregor quietly rumbled behind him as he approached the two.

    Sero glanced at the burly man, then looked over at Amaya, who nodded reassuringly. He rose from his chair and followed Gregor out of the room. As they walked down the hall, he could feel the weight of the other man''s gaze upon him.

    "What is it you wanted to talk about, Gregor?" Sero asked, trying to sound casual.

    "Sero, has joining the Janitors ever crossed your mind?" the Conqueror asked in response.

    Sero blinked, surprised by the question. He''d never really thought about it. "I... I suppose I hadn''t considered it," he admitted. "Why, do you think I should?"

    Gregor chuckled. "It is completely up to your discretion, however, I do believe you would be a great fit for us. Your strength has exponentially grown since the first time I met you, and that very strength would be incredibly beneficial to our cause."

    "Well... what would I even do?"

    "Aside from going off on missions I believe you may be familiar with doing, my Janitors are no strangers to walking the line," Gregor quietly replied. "We work to keep the peace, but if things were to get out of hand, we have the means to put them back in their place. Your strength- particularly your ability to copy nearly infinite Skills, would be invaluable to us in that regard."

    Sero considered this for a moment. Joining the Janitors meant giving up his life as a freelancer, but it also meant working alongside people he respected and trusted. Well, he trusted Gregor, Cassandra, Gwyndolyn, and possibly Enzo.

    "I''ll think about it," he finally said. "Thank you for your offer."

    Gregor gave him a pat on the shoulders before walking off. Sero heard the door open; Amaya and Elizabeth exited the meeting room. He noticed the awkward atmosphere between the two and figured Amaya had talked to Elizabeth about... him.

    "Hey, Sero," Amaya said as she approached. "I hope everything went well with Gregor."

    "Er, yeah," Sero replied, watching Elizabeth slink away from them out of the corner of his eye. "He just wanted to offer me a place in the Janitors'' mercenary branch."

    Amaya raised an eyebrow. "And what did you tell him?"

    Sero hesitated for a moment, unsure how to answer. "I told him I''d think about it," he finally said, trying to sound noncommittal. "I''m not sure if it''s the right fit for me."

    "Why not?" The two of them began to walk back to the liaison office.

    "Well," Sero began, "They''re super fucking strong. Like, I''m aware that I''ve also grown a lot, but compared to them?" He trailed off, lost in thought. Amaya placed a reassuring hand on his arm.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    "Hey, don''t say that. You literally survived against a Catastrophe all by yourself until they came to help. If anything, I think you deserve to stand next to them. You''re an S-rank, after all."

    Sero smiled, feeling a bit better about himself. "Thanks, Amaya. I''ll think about it. And hey, if I do decide to join, I''m sure I''ll have you to thank for convincing me."

    They reached the liaison office and walked inside. Sero took a seat across from Amaya at her desk, fiddling with a pen. He glanced over at Amaya, who was busily typing away at her computer. She seemed so confident and sure of herself, unlike him. He wondered if she ever felt the same doubts and insecurities that he did.

    "Hey," she said, noticing his gaze. "You really should consider it. The Janitors could use someone like you. And who knows? Maybe you''d learn a thing or two from them." She flashed him a reassuring smile. "If you didn''t realize, I meant you could pick up-"

    "Pick up their Skills, yeah, I know," Sero smiled back wryly.

    He thought about it, about being a part of something bigger, something that could make a real difference in this war. But there was still that nagging doubt in the back of his mind. What if he couldn''t live up to their expectations? What if he failed and let everyone down? It was easier to hide in the shadows, to fight alone.

    Sero''s Rationality kicked in to quell his doubts. He was overthinking things. Of course he could learn from them. He could improve. And maybe, just maybe, he could make a difference. He had come this far, hadn''t he? He''d survived the Catastrophe, found a purpose, made friends. He couldn''t let that all go to waste.

    "Champion? What do you plan to do now?" Aphiel''s voice telepathically echoed in his mind.

    Sero flinched slightly, startled by the sudden intrusion. He glanced around, making sure no one else had noticed. Thankfully, Amaya was too engrossed in her work. "Um... I''m considering joining the Janitors'' mercenary branch."

    "And of the plan to search for Pillars?"

    "I''m not sure," Sero admitted. "I haven''t got a clue on where I should start."

    "Perhaps back to the site of the abandoned house? Where you had been taken to that underground area?" Aphiel suggested thoughtfully. "I was curious about that place ever since my connection with you had been restored after you were rescued. There may be a chance that I could detect traces of any residual energy."

    Sero nodded, considering the idea. It was as good a place to start as any. "Yeah, that''s a good idea. We could check it out. Maybe there''s something there that could lead us to something." He glanced over at Amaya. "Hey, I''m going to head back to the abandoned house to check something out with my Sponsor."

    "Alone?" Amaya frowned, looking up from her keyboard. "Do you want me to come with?"

    Sero smirked. "You know, I''m a big boy. I can handle myself."

    Amaya didn''t seem convinced. "But what if you run into trouble?"

    "Nothing short of a Catastrophe will be enough to take me down, remember?" Sero quipped, trying to lighten the mood. He saw the concern in her eyes and felt a pang of guilt for his flippant remark. "But, I''ll be careful, I promise. I''ve got an entire army at my disposal and countless Skills to use."

    Amaya sighed, giving in to his stubbornness. "Fine, but keep in touch. I''ll be waiting for you to get back. And try not to die."

    "I will¡­ and won¡¯t. Don''t worry about me too much," Sero said with a small smile, trying to reassure her. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips, before heading out the door. "I''ll be back soon."

    <hr>

    "You sense anything?" Sero murmured to Aphiel''s projection as he surveyed the sanctioned abandoned house. Moss and Lime sniffed around the perimeters, their emerald eyes gleaming in the shade. The house stood tall and ominous, a stark reminder of the horrors that lurked beneath its crumbling foundation.

    "No unusual energy signatures or magical residue," Aphiel replied, her voice calm and reassuring. "But perhaps that is because we are on the surface-level. The majority of the battle took place within the sub-basement, correct?"

    "Yeah, that''s right," Sero said, glancing around the yard. "Let''s head inside." He led them through the front door and into the dusty, dimly lit living room. The air was stale and heavy with an unsettling sense of foreboding. "I think the sub-basement entrance is over there."

    With his Detect on high alert, Sero summoned a couple of face card familiars and stationed them around the abandoned house as he recalled Moss and Lime to his side. The duo nodded solemnly as they returned to their master''s side, ready to protect him at a moment''s notice. Sero motioned for Aphiel to follow and led them down the dark hallway towards the sub-basement entrance. The air grew colder and more oppressive the further they went, the weight of the past seeming to press down upon them.

    Breaking into the chamber once more, Sero grimaced, recalling the memory of how he went berserk after seeing Casey die in front of him. He forced himself to focus on the task at hand, scanning the room with his Detect Skill. The familiar altar up ahead was stained with the blood of the sacrificed children, an unpleasant odor filling the air.

    "Oh," Aphiel gasped, "Champion, I am picking up on something faint... something... evil."

    Sero''s heart skipped a beat. "Where?" he demanded, his voice barely above a whisper. In truth, Sero had already sensed the evil energy, but he didn¡¯t want to come to terms with how¡­ familiar it felt. He figured it might be the residual energy from Thaddeus or Malek from his fight against them.

    Aphiel pointed toward the altar. "I do not know, but it seems to be coming from there."

    Sero swallowed hard. The very altar that he, Amaya, and Elizabeth watched Casey get sacrificed upon. The place where Sero had lost all reasoning and control for the first time. Where he killed Thaddeus, and where Dr. Malek had escaped from his clutches.

    Moss and Lime growled softly as Sero approached the altar. The two dragon familiars seemed unnerved by whatever presence was lurking nearby. As Sero knelt down beside Aphiel, he closed his eyes and focused on the sensation of evil emanating from the altar.

    "It''s... familiar," he muttered. "I''ve felt it before, but not this strong." He took a deep breath, steadying himself before continuing. "It''s like... when I used Apep''s skills for the first time."

    The goddess glanced at him worriedly. "A Catastrophe is usually guided by the banished gods, so it is not far off to assume that the energy you are feeling is the very same. Champion... are you... have you felt corrupted?"

    Sero felt a chill run down his spine at her words. "I... don''t know. I can''t say for sure. I mean, when I had lost control before, I didn''t feel anything like this. It was more like... a fog. But now it''s... it''s sharp."

    Aphiel continued to stare at him, her concern growing by the second. "I desperately hope that it is not true, but champion... it appears as if you copied more than just their Skills."

    Sero didn''t reply right away, averting his gaze from the goddess.

    "It''s because they''re incompatible, isn''t it?" Sero quietly confided. "I''m guessing there''s a good explanation, but using non-Ascendant skills has an adverse effect on me, doesn''t it?"

    "I... do not wish to say for certain, but it appears as if... you may have copied their essence," Aphiel said softly, her voice barely audible over the throbbing pain in Sero''s head. "It is a possibility. I would advise you to be careful with using any non-Ascendant skills, as it may lead to... unforeseen consequences."

    She didn''t have to say it out loud for Sero to know she either meant full corruption, or death.

 Chapter 110: The Siege - Part 1

    "Well, given that I have the ability to do so, there''s no point in not using those skills, right?" Sero asked, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "I''ll just have to be careful."

    Aphiel gave him a concerned frown. "You are right, of course. If you can do so, then there is no reason not to. However, I must warn you to be cautious. Do not push yourself too hard, and if you begin to feel... different, stop immediately."

    "Considering I''ve already been told how much I''ve changed..." Sero gave a cheeky smile, much to Aphiel''s displeasure. "In any case, don''t worry too much about me. I''m not going to let it get out of hand."

    "If you say so," the goddess replied, though she didn''t sound entirely convinced. "At any rate, I believe I need some time to retrace the energy left behind prior. In doing so, perhaps I may be able to find a lead as to the whereabouts of a Culling Pillar."

    Sero hesitated for a moment, an idea forming in his mind. Aphiel noticed the look on his face and eyed him warily.

    "Champion? What are you planning?"

    "Well," Sero scratched the back of his head. "I''m pretty sure you''re not going to like it, but do you recall me copying the Resurrect skill from Dr. Malek?"

    Aphiel nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I do recall. What of it?"

    "Technically, I assume there''s Necromancer-type Ascendants around, right?"

    "Correct...?" the goddess''s expression suddenly slackened. "Oh no, Sero. What are you getting at?"

    "Exactly what you''re thinking," Sero grimaced as he stood up, his body humming with mana. "I''m gonna see if I can cast Resurrect on the Culling members I killed here, see if they know where Dr. Malek or any other Pillars are hiding."

    Aphiel''s eyes widened in horror. "Sero, that is... that is a terrible idea! What if it goes wrong?"

    "Well, that''s why I have you here, right?" he replied dryly, casting Resurrect on the ground before the altar. A green mist emitted from his palms, swirling around before coalescing into a figure.

    "What- what is this?" The pale sunken face of Thaddeus sneered as he gazed around the altar room in confusion. His eyes fell on Sero, and his expression grew even more twisted. "You."

    Sero had to hold himself back from unleashing a surprising rage that had welled up within him. Taking a deep breath, he found it easy to control Thaddeus''s movements without the use of the Dominate skill. With a pained cry, the resurrected Pillar member fell to his knees, gazing up at Sero with hatred in his eyes.

    "Where are the other Culling Pillar members hiding?" Sero demanded, his voice cold and hard. "Where can I find them?"

    Thaddeus spat at Sero''s feet, his lips curling back in a snarl. "I will never betray them, you monster! Even if you kill me again, I will not give you what you seek!"

    Sero let out a humorless snort as he knelt down to stare into Thaddeus''s eyes. "Oh, I''d love to kill you again. Unfortunately for you, I don''t need to torture you to get what I needed. I was just asking first to give you some sort of mercy."

    Before Thaddeus could question what Sero meant, he casted Mind Search on the Pillar member, diving deep into his thoughts and memories. A few moments later, he pulled out a location from Thaddeus''s mind: underneath the remodeled hospital where all of this began.

    "There you go," Sero said, standing up. "You''re useful after all." With that, he released Resurrect on Thaddeus, reducing the resurrected Pillar member to a cloud of dust once again. He could feel the weight of Aphiel''s gaze on his back.

    "I''m sorry, Aphiel," Sero said, turning to face her. "I know it was hard for you to see that. But I had to get the information."

    Sero expected her to be angry, or indignant. After all, he figured that divinity figures were particular towards manipulation of life and death. However, the goddess''s projection simply regarded him with a sad look.

    "I cannot help but refuse to believe that the champion I first brought back to Earth would be capable of acts like this," Aphiel finally said, her voice quiet and distant. "You... you were not like this before."

    "I hadn''t lost people I cared about back then," Sero quietly countered, walking past the goddess. "I was na?ve to believe that the world was all sunshine, that I''d be able to get whatever I wanted for selfish reasons."

    He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know I''m not the same person I was before. But I can''t just stand by and do nothing. I have to try and make things right, somehow. And if that means using powers or doing things that might not be... pure, then so be it."

    "Be careful, champion." Aphiel said, her voice heavy with unspoken words. "You have the potential to wield great power, but also great corruption. I will not interfere in your path, but I beg of you, do not lose sight of who you truly are."

    "And who is that, exactly?" Sero muttered under his breath, heading for the exit. A sudden presence caused him to freeze in place. He turned around slowly, seeing a small, ghostly figure of someone he thought was long gone.

    "Mr. Sero...? Is that you...?" Casey''s voice was barely more than a whisper, his form shimmering like a mirage in the dim light of the hallway.

    "Casey...?" Sero whispered, his heart aching for the spectral boy. "You''re... alive?"

    Of course, Sero knew Casey wasn''t back from the dead, but there wasn''t an explanation as to why he was suddenly seeing the boy''s ghost. Especially after he had released his Resurrect skill.

    "I don''t... think so?" Casey said, his eyes sparkling with ignorance and confusion. Sero wanted nothing more than to hug him, but something kept him from moving. "Why do you look so sad, Mr. Sero?"Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Sero gritted his teeth, his heart aching. "It''s... complicated, Casey. I... I wish I could tell you everything. But you have to go. You need to find peace." He took a step forward, reaching out a hand. "Please, Casey. You don''t belong here."

    "Yeah... you''re right," Casey tilted his head. "I think... there was something telling me... that you needed to see me again. Before I go."

    Sero sucked in a deep breath. He had thought that seeing Casey killed right in front of his eyes would be the worst pain he''d feel so far, but he was wrong. "I''m... glad I could see you again," he said, his voice choked with emotion. "I''ll... I''ll miss you." He reached out, gently touching the ghostly boy''s cheek with one finger. "Please, find your peace, Casey."

    Casey smiled brightly at Sero, his innocent eyes sparkling with something akin to gratitude. "I''m glad you''re okay, Mr. Sero. Can you let Miss Amaya, Miss Nala, Miss Luna... can you let everyone know I miss them?"

    Sero nodded, swallowing hard to keep the lump from forming in his throat. "I will, Casey. I promise." He took one last look at the ghostly boy, feeling a strange mix of pain and peace wash over him. "I''ll... I''ll see you later."

    With a final, ghostly wink, Casey disappeared, leaving Sero alone with his thoughts. He turned back to Aphiel, his expression a dark mix of determination and sorrow. "Let''s find them," he said, his voice cold and resolute. "I''m gonna hunt down every last Culling member."

    <hr>

    Sero stood at the edge of the guarded hospital perimeter, quietly gazing at the imposing building. He could feel the weight of his decision pressing down on him, the responsibility to protect those he cared about, and the burden of avenging those who could no longer fight for themselves. Beside him, Aphiel shifted uncomfortably, her gaze darting between the guards and the entrance to the building.

    It seemed as though Madison had taken today''s shift, unaware that Sero had been there for a while. Honestly, Sero didn''t really have to sneak around, he could have just entered through the front normally and got into the secret area underneath the hospital.

    "What is on your mind, champion?" Aphiel asked softly, tilting her head at him. "You seem... distant."

    Sero inhaled deeply through his nose. After being made aware of his growing sensitivity to evil energy, he was now capable of sensing the dark auras that leaked out from underneath the hospital. He had already written messages to most of the alliance members, ready to be mass sent when Sero felt like the time was right. Everyone would be notified of the situation, and would shortly come to the hospital.

    However, Sero didn''t want to risk any Culling member being alerted of the alliance, which was why he chose to arrive alone. That, and the fact that what he was about to do was going to be pretty damn risky. Not to mention incredibly stupid and reckless.

    "Just... up in my head. That''s all," Sero replied, forcing a smile onto his face. "Wish me luck."

    Aphiel didn''t seem convinced, but she nodded anyway. "I will be here if you need me. Hopefully nothing prevents me from communicating with you again, but I should trust that my projection magic will be able to bypass such barriers."

    Sero gave the goddess a thumbs up as he launched into action. His Detect skill was on high alert as he shifted into shadows, zipping around the guards and medical staff undetected. Hitting them with a combination of Charm and Dominate, Sero''s plan revolved around bringing the entirety of the hospital under his control.

    Thankfully, Madison was unaware of his presence as he quickly seized command of all the hospital residents. Some proved a bit difficult to control, but a simple Cat Paradox remedied that. With only the Deathwalker left, Sero carefully snuck up on the unsuspecting Janitor.

    He wasn''t expecting it to be easy, and his assumption was right as Madison stiffened when Sero approached. In a split second, the Deathwalker whirled around, throwing what looked like deadly golden syringes at Sero.

    Maybe it was because his reflexes grew sharper with every near death he had, but Sero deftly dodged the projectiles while simultaneously sending out a combination of a Charm and Dominate. He might''ve overcharged it a bit, as Madison let out a short, painful shriek before falling under his control.

    "Oops," Sero muttered under his breath before finally exerting his will on the entire hospital populace. It took a tremendous amount of mana and willpower, which was manageably taken care of by another Cat Paradox.

    Staff and patients alike evacuated the hospital in a calm, trance-like manner. Sero watched from the shadows, a satisfied smile creeping onto his face. It was a miracle that everything had gone so smoothly. He had expected at least one person to put up a fight, but it seemed that his control over them was absolute.

    "Honestly, I''d made a pretty powerful villain-like enemy," Sero dryly remarked to himself, much to Aphiel''s displeasure.

    "Please do not entertain that notion, champion," Aphiel wearily sighed. "Given your reputation, it may not be hard for some to believe."

    Sero simply grinned back in response, not really taking the goddess'' words to heart. He was still reveling in the excitement of his daring heist. The thought of being a powerful villain, controlling an entire hospital full of people, was kind of... arousing.

    He quickly shook his head, remembering his original task of getting beneath the hospital and confronting whatever Culling Pillar members were hiding there. Sero jogged through the hypnotized crowd, checking on his mana reserves. He hit the button on his phone, sending the mass text to everyone. At the very least, he''d have at least ten minutes before they arrived.

    He knew it was probably a dumb choice to barge in solo, but this was one thing Sero was fairly certain he had a lead over. Mainly due to discovering his newfound sensitivity to the negative energy. Sero desperately hoped that Dr. Malek wasn''t aware of this yet, and would be caught unprepared.

    Sero approached the hospital''s underground parking garage and began to make his way towards the maintenance tunnels. His senses were on high alert, his Detect skill on full throttle. Moss and Lime had summoned themselves, the dragons sniffing around for any traces of negative energy that might betray the presence of Culling members. As he neared the entrance to the tunnels, he felt a strange presence, like a dark shadow lurking just out of sight. With a surge of determination, he pushed open the door and stepped into the dimly lit tunnel.

    The air was thick with malevolence, making it difficult for Sero to breathe. His eyes darted left and right, searching for any sign of the Culling members. He could feel them, just beyond his perception. As he moved deeper into the tunnel, the pressure of the negative energy grew stronger, making it harder to focus.

    He heard a faint rustling sound coming from up ahead. Moss and Lime perked up, their green eyes glowing brightly in the darkness. Sero nodded to them, readying his spells. He crept silently down the tunnel, conjuring his sword and activating his efficiencies.

    As he rounded a corner, he found himself face to face with Dr. Malek and two of his subordinates. The doctor''s aura was darker than ever before, crackling with malevolent energy. The two minions flanked him, their faces twisted into hateful expressions.

    "Well, shit." Sero didn''t expect to run into Dr. Malek right away.

    "Sero," Dr. Malek gazed at him sadly. "I thought you would have learned your lesson by now."

    "I did." Sero smiled thinly as he released his hold over the controlled citizens above. With nothing to drain his resources, Moss and Lime jumped into action, restoring his stamina and mana by hounding the two minions beside Dr. Malek.

    With a roar, Sero immediately let loose, green crackling mana filling the air as he unleashed a devastating barrage of energy bolts at the doctor and his minions. Dr. Malek''s aura flared, absorbing some of the energy before it could harm him, but not enough to completely negate the assault. One of the minions was struck full in the chest, his body engulfed in green flame as he exploded in a shower of gore. The other minion, taken by surprise, was knocked back by a powerful wave of force.

    Sero heard clamoring as more Culling members rushed down the tunnel. In a split second, Sero casted an empowered Ground Fortress, bringing down several entrances, but not all of them. He glanced back at Dr. Malek, itching to enact his vengeance.

 Chapter 111: The Siege - Part 2

    "Well, this is an unexpected reunion," Dr. Malek said, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight of Sero, surrounded by the crumbling concrete and his loyal dragons. "You''ve grown stronger, I see."

    The sight of Dr. Malek brought a feeling of indescribable rage and determination to Sero. He had killed Casey, had killed his parents, and had brought about destruction and chaos by aligning with Culling to bring over Catastrophes. It took everything Sero had not to charge at the man blindly. Instead, he took a deep breath, letting his anger fuel his mana.

    "Hey, Malek... I''m going to give you a chance to tell me everything there is about where the rest of the Culling Pillars are," Sero quietly offered, his eyes ablaze with a mix of anger and calculation. "Of course, even if you don''t, I''ll still get it from you either way."

    "Champion... please do not do anything you will regret," Aphiel''s voice pleaded in his mind. Despite what he had promised the goddess earlier, Sero wasn''t entirely sure he would be able to make good on that promise.

    The remaining minion slowly got to his feet, his eyes filled with a cold hatred that seemed to chill the air around them. He drew a wicked-looking knife from his side, the blade coated in a foul-smelling substance that made Sero''s skin crawl.

    "Sero," Dr. Malek sighed, "I believe you don''t really have a grasp on the gravity of the situation." He waved his hand, and the second minion lunged forward, the knife aimed at Sero''s heart.

    Sero remained unflinching as Sting conjured herself, flying forward and blocking the strike with her rapier. The minion''s knife clattered to the ground, useless. With a swift kick, Sero sent the stunned man flying into the wall, where he lay unconscious.

    "You think I don''t understand?" Sero snarled, his eyes never leaving Dr. Malek. "I''ve seen what you and your kind are capable of. The suffering you''ve brought upon the innocent. I know exactly what you are."

    He suddenly felt a tugging on his body, then his mana being sapped away. Sero glanced at Dr. Malek, who had a sad, thin smile on his face.

    "Is that so? Then you should''ve known that going into a place where the abilities of Ascendants like you are weakened was a foolish move," Dr. Malek mused, his eyes flickering with a malicious glee.

    This time, it was Sero''s turn to smile. He flexed his fingers as Sting and the dragon twins regrouped in front of him.

    "First of all, I''m not alone. Second, the others will be coming soon, since I''ve informed them of this base. And finally," Sero''s body crackled with a sinister green aura. He glared at Dr. Malek with an intense hatred and anger, the strongest instance of such emotions he''d ever felt.

    "Who said I was limited to just Ascendant abilities?"

    Dr. Malek''s eyes widened in shock as the other Culling members broke into the chamber, immediately launching themselves at Sero. The dragon twins and Sting leapt into action, taking on several of the cultists as Sero himself indulged in the skills he copied from Apep.

    A single Disarray wiped out the first wave of cultists, their bodies contorted in impossible angles as they crashed into the concrete floor. Sero felt a rush of power coursing through him, a heady mix of excitement and dread. He knew that using Apep''s skills was dangerous, but he had no other choice. The Culling''s corrupted energy was thick around him, and it seemed to resonate with the destructive force of the Catastrophic powers he''d copied.

    Dr. Malek seemed to have recovered from his initial shock, though the sneer on his face remained as he watched Sero''s unorthodox tactics. "You''re playing with fire, boy," he hissed, his eyes narrowing. "Those skills will consume you."

    "Like how you consumed the lives of my parents to further your goals? The life of Casey? All those other innocent people?" Sero quietly snarled back, his eyes flashing with anger. He could feel the energy of Apep''s skills thrumming through his veins, a seductive whisper of power that seemed to feed off his fury. It wasn''t just Apep''s power either. The succubi abilities of Luna and Malice also called to him, eager to be unleashed. But he kept them in check, knowing that now was not the time to lose control.

    Even as the Culling members regrouped and tried to swarm him, Sero simply conjured the 12 face card familiars, sending them to clash with the cultists alongside Sting and the dragon twins. If any Culling member managed to get past Sero''s familiars and approach him, they were quickly vaporized by the stray mana bolts that crackled off his body.

    He activated Undying Spirit, feeling his mana and strength recover from every hit the Culling members took as he stalked closer towards Dr. Malek. The Pillar didn''t seem unfazed as Sero drew closer, his eyes gleaming with a sinister light. The room echoed with the cries of the dying and the roars of Sero''s familiars as they tore through the enemy ranks.

    "You know, this is hypocritical. What makes you different from us, Sero? You''re doing the exact same as we are, albeit for different reasons," Dr. Malek called out, his voice echoing through the chaotic battlefield.

    Sero''s eyes never left the Pillar''s as he approached, the man''s words cutting through the cacophony. He knew Malek was trying to get into his head, but he had made his choice. He was going to stop this madness, no matter the cost. If it meant stooping down to the Culling''s level, then so be it.

    "I''m doing this to save lives," Sero shouted over the din of battle. "What you do is for power. That''s the difference."

    "Have you forgotten the explanation I gave you? I''m also doing this to save lives! Sacrificing a few for the sake of the rest of the world is simply the most efficient way!" Dr. Malek retorted. "As long as those who stood by while the corrupted ruled the world remain, we will never know true peace and harmony."You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    "What kinda fucking bullshit is that?" Sero scowled, slashing through the cultists in his path with his Soul Blade. "Even I know that true peace and harmony isn''t real. The best we can do is keep the world from going to hell, not sacrifice kids for some twisted ideology!"

    "I really hoped that you''d come to understand our goals," Dr. Malek seemed to give up on convincing Sero as he opened a black-ringed portal. "I guess this is where we become true enemies, then. The next time I see you, I will not hold back."

    The arrogant confidence from Dr. Malek almost blinded Sero to the fact that he had copied the doctor''s strange portal-opening skill. With an equally strange and malicious glee, Sero snapped his fingers, closing the portal before Dr. Malek could escape through it.

    "Wh-what?!" Dr. Malek''s smug expression turned to one of panic as the portal snapped shut. He stumbled backward, staring at Sero in disbelief.

    Sero took a step closer, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Looks like I''ve picked up a few new tricks of my own." He could feel the dark energy of Apep''s skills pulsing through him, a stark contrast to the warmth of the Ascendant abilities he''d come to rely on. Aphiel''s protests were ignored as he stalked closer to the Pillar.

    There was a flash of black lightning, and Sero instinctively tilted his head to the side, dodging shards of what he soon registered as bone fragments. Regaining his bearings, Sero saw three people standing protectively in front of Dr. Malek, recognizing who they were.

    "No matter. I still have my own cards to play as well," Dr. Malek seemed relieved to see the Graven Trio showing up composing himself quickly. "I trust that you three will safely cover my exit?"

    "Triple our payment if we do," Kael gruffly responded, warily eyeing Sero. "We know first-hand that even the three of us can''t hope to beat that guy."

    Tendra and Brunn took their places beside Kael, crackling with dark mana. Sero simply smiled.

    "Ah, the three people who captured me and my friends and forced us to watch a kid get sacrificed," Sero mused. "I''ve been looking forward to this."

    "Hey, brat, it was just a job," Tendra sneered, flicking her hair out of her face. "Don''t go getting all emotional on us."

    "Yeah, don''t take it personal," Brunn rumbled, crimson blood floating around him. "We''ve had our fair share of losses too."

    As Dr. Malek quickly made his way towards one of the exits, the Graven Three leapt into action. Tendra acted as mid-range, lashing out with whips made of tendons as Brunn provided backline support, firing off shards of hardened blood. Sero easily avoided them as he clashed against Kael and his bone armor exoskeleton.

    "I don''t have time for this!" Sero roared, his eyes burning with rage. He summoned Lime and Moss to flank the distractions while he focused on Kael. His fists clenched, and he could feel his anger beginning to boil over. The source of his rage was going to escape once again, and if he did, Sero wasn''t sure if he''d be able to catch him off-guard again. Or ever.

    Kael remained silent, watching Sero closely. While he wasn''t particularly powerful, Sero was aware of Kael''s Full Potential passive, which was comparable to his Perfect Analysis in terms of reaction speed. He knew that the man would be the most dangerous of the three. So, he decided to end it before things got out of hand.

    Once again ignoring the protests of Aphiel, Sero casted another Disarray, one powerful enough to inflict gashing wounds on each of the Vultures. The attack branched out, catching several weaker Culling members and vaporizing them in an instant. With the Graven Three momentarily stunned by the display of power, Sero didn''t waste a second. He dashed after Dr. Malek right before the Pillar could ascend the stairs.

    "You can''t escape from me!" Sero shouted as he lunged towards Dr. Malek. However, the Pillar was ready for him. With a twirl of his hand, a gust of shadowy energy coalesced into a spear, which he threw directly at Sero.

    Copying the skill as ''Rot'', Sero simply burned it away with a Fire Blast, sending out his own spear of decay at Dr. Malek. The doctor grunted as the dark projectile barely missed him, the walls behind cracking and crumbling as it embedded itself into the concrete.

    Sero didn''t let up, casting Wind Rush to boost his speed while also throwing out a combination of Shadow Bind and Mana Lock, finally capturing the Pillar member in a green cage. Even as Dr. Malek threw out corrupted bolts of mana at the prison, trying to free himself, Sero could feel the immense strain on his body. The combination of evil and Ascendant abilities was unstable and exhausting. He had to end this fast.

    He sensed the Graven Three recovering behind him, an idea popping into his mind. Making sure Malek was securely trapped in the bindings, Sero turned and unleashed his rage upon the trio, stealing copious amounts of strength and mana from them via Undying Spirit.

    Tendra and Brunn fell quickly, exhausted from the sudden lack of resources, but Kael was slippery, dodging and weaving through the stolen power bolts. His movements were erratic, but Sero could see the calculations behind them, a sign of his Full Potential in action. The bone-clad warrior charged at Sero, his fists glowing with a ghastly black light.

    "Ooo, that looks cool," Sero smirked as he casted his own Bonemake, conjuring a pale green skeletal armor around his body.

    The clash of bone and shadow was intense, echoing through the corridor as Sero and Kael exchanged blows. Sero noticed that the bindings on Dr. Malek were fading, a sign that the man was close to breaking free.

    Gritting his teeth, Sero juiced up his attacks, emulating Relentless and casting the demonic elemental auras around him in an instant. Kael, caught off-guard, was struck by the stray elements, giving Sero the chance to put him down for good with a solid punch to the gut. The bone armor shattered into dust, leaving the Graven Three leader wheezing on the ground.

    Turning his attention back to Dr. Malek, Sero saw that the Pillar was almost free from the weakened Mana Lock. The doctor''s eyes were alight with fury, his teeth bared in a snarl. The room was a wreck, bodies of cultists and shattered bone littered the floor, and the stench of corrupted magic filled the air.

    "You think you''ve won?" Dr. Malek spat, his eyes burning with malice. Sero could see the man''s desperation to escape, and it only served to fuel his own determination for revenge.

    With a grim smile, Sero approached the weakened Pillar. "I''m not playing games anymore," he said, his voice cold and unforgiving. He could feel the power of sinister energy coursing through him, begging to be unleashed in a display of utter destruction. But he held it back, not quite ready to succumb to that level of darkness.

    As Dr. Malek struggled against the fading Mana Lock, Sero raised his hand, a sphere of green energy forming in his palm. "I don''t have the luxury of mercy," he whispered, channeling all his anger into the spell.

    "What, do you think you can really just kill me and get away with it?" Dr. Malek sneered, his eyes flickering with a hint of desperation. "You''re nothing but a pawn in a game you don''t even understand!"

    "It''s funny you should mention ''pawns''," Sero''s smile grew wider. "And to answer your question... who said I was gonna kill you right away?"

 Chapter 112: The Siege - Part 3

    Dr. Malek simply laughed, a hollow sound that reverberated through the wrecked chamber. "You think you can beat me with brute force? How naive."

    "Not brute force," Sero shook his head, "You''re gonna willingly help me."

    With that, Sero casted an empowered Charm and Dominate, overpowering Dr. Malek''s will with a sickening crunch of the green sphere. The Pillar''s eyes glazed over, his smug grin slipping into a blank look of obedience.

    "Now, tell me where the other Pillars of Culling are hiding," Sero demanded, his voice firm as he tightened his grip on the doctor''s mind. Surprisingly, even with Sero''s multiple buffs powering his skills, the doctor''s resistance was substantial. It was clear that the man had been in the presence of powerful magic for a long time.

    "Why... should... I?" Dr. Malek''s voice was strained, his eyes fluttering as he tried to resist Sero''s mental domination.

    "Champion... his will is extremely concrete," Aphiel''s voice carried a worried tone in his mind. "Your dominance may not hold for long."

    "Fine," Sero scowled. "Then I''ll use a different approach."

    Before the goddess could protest, Sero casted Mind Search, enabling him to delve within Dr. Malek''s memories. However, the doctor''s will was indeed as strong as Aphiel had warned. It was like trying to break into a fortress made of pure malice. Sero''s eyes narrowed in concentration as he dug deeper, his mana straining under the immense mental effort.

    Pushing past the recent memories, Sero tried to look for any clues in the vast darkness. A slight fear began to bubble up within him, which couldn''t be eased with his Rationality. The further he traveled, the more his apprehension grew. It was like trying to see how far he could bend a stick without it snapping in half.

    Or rather, it was more like venturing out into a dark forest alone without any light. Sero didn''t know what he would find through Dr. Malek''s memories, but he was beginning to doubt his choice of mind reading. The main reason? It felt like there was another presence there with Dr. Malek and him.

    Suddenly, Sero felt like he couldn''t breathe as he hit what felt like the most dreadful, twisted, and absolutely evil energy he had ever felt. In fact, it was so intense that it caused him to double over in pain. The energy wasn''t a part of Dr. Malek; the sheer force reminded Sero of Aphiel''s presence except... corrupted.

    The darkness seemed to sense Sero''s intrusion, reaching out to him like a virus. Before it could touch his mind, Sero quickly began to pull back. He feared that he had stumbled upon something that he shouldn''t have messed with. In fact, the darkness hadn''t actually touched his psyche, but the sheer pressure and aura emanating from it inside Dr. Malek''s mind was enough to send Sero into a full-blown panic.

    Realizing it was too much, Sero desperately pulled his consciousness out of Dr. Malek''s mind, gasping for air as he stumbled back. The doctor took the opportunity to break free from his binds, a look of shock and horror etched on his face as he saw the depths of his own thoughts and something not entirely human reflected in Sero''s red eyes.

    "What have you done?" the doctor whispered before a raging black flame suddenly engulfed him.

    Sero watched in horror as Dr. Malek screamed with pain, his body contorting and growing grotesque as the black aura consumed him. His clothes tattered away, revealing a form that was no longer human. In his place stood a monstrous creature, its body a twisted mass of shadows and decay.

    "Champion, run!" Aphiel screamed in his head. "I sense the energy of a banished god!"

    Sero''s eyes widened as he took in the monstrosity before him. He had never seen anything like it, not even in the depths of his darkest imagination. The creature that was once Dr. Malek stood tall, towering over him, with limbs that stretched unnaturally and green eyes that burned with a fiery hatred. The stench of decay and despair filled the air, and Sero''s knees threatened to buckle under the sheer weight of the malevolence.

    "Ugh... while this vessel is less than subpar... I suppose it will do," the creature that was once Dr. Malek spoke in a deep, grating voice that seemed to come from every corner of the room. Sero''s grip on his mana tightened as he took a step back, his mind racing with fear and confusion.

    At no point did he feel as if he would meet a more evil creature than Apep, but he unfortunately was wrong. The creature before him was a monster that made the Catastrophe look like a toddler. Sero couldn''t even collect his thoughts- that''s how incredibly overwhelming the presence was.

    The darkness began to refine itself, shaping the creature into a more coherent form. The room trembled as it grew, the very air around it crackling with power. Sero knew that he was no match for this being, and his instincts screamed at him to flee. Yet his body wouldn''t respond to his commands.

    "Ascendant..." the man spoke after the shadows finished swirling around him. His new form, while taken on the appearance of a handsome man, was terrifying to behold, as if every dark thought and desire had been woven into his very being. "I must say, this would not have been possible if not for you."

    Sero''s mind raced, trying to piece together what was happening. This creature, this god, had used Dr. Malek as a vessel? He had to be stopped, but how? Sero''s heart pounded in his chest, his body begging for him to retreat, but he couldn''t move. His eyes remained locked with the creature''s, a silent battle of wills playing out between them.

    "Crom Cruach..." Aphiel whispered fearfully in Sero''s mind.

    The banished god sneered, as if the mere mention of his name brought him pleasure. "Divine goddess," Crom Cruach spat with hatred, "How nice of you to send your loyal dogs in place of yourselves."Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Sero''s eyes widened. This... banished god was able to hear Aphiel? It did make sense, considering both Aphiel and the creature called Crom Cruach were considered deities.

    In a flash of light, Aphiel''s goddess projection materialized in front of Sero, her gentle eyes now filled with a fiery resolve. "Crom Cruach, you dare to show your face in this realm again!"

    This was the first time Sero had ever seen Aphiel so angry, so... divine-like. It was also the first time she had materialized herself in front of others, though that may have been more due to her learning the magic to do so compared to back then.

    Crom Cruach clicked his tongue with disapproval. "Careful, goddess. While my presence enables you to step in as well, your divinity is weakened because it seems like you only have one ''champion''."

    Aphiel''s eyes narrowed. "What have you done to that man whose body you now possess?"

    The banished god laughed, a chilling sound that seemed to echo through the very fabric of the room. "You think I coerced that worm into making a contract with me? He did that out of his own volition. Many others like him cut deals with my kind. But, it was only due to your ''champion'' over there that the seal was broken, enabling me to take control."

    Sero felt a mix of anger and disgust at the revelation. He had unknowingly been a catalyst in bringing the banished god over. His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden realization that the creature was goading Aphiel. "We don''t have time for this," he muttered under his breath, trying to gather his courage to face the creature. The others would arrive soon to help, and Sero was concerned that he had lost the only lead he had on the whereabouts of the Culling Pillars.

    Aphiel, however, remained unfazed by Crom Cruach''s taunts. Her eyes burned with a fiery determination that Sero hadn''t seen before. "You may have a new host, but you will not win," she declared, her voice a mix of authority and defiance. "We will find a way to send you back to your prison, no matter the cost."

    "Sure," Crom Cruach waved a hand, casually dispersing Aphiel''s projection. She barely had time to yelp in surprise before it was just Sero and the banished god again. "It''s not like this vessel isn''t going to crumble regardless."

    Sero''s stomach churned at the thought of the doctor''s fate. He had to do something, and fast. The creature was too powerful, too ancient, and had too much experience with this world''s rules to be defeated by brute force. The room felt smaller, the air thicker with malice. At least against Apep, Sero had the reassurance of being out in the open and near other Ascendants, even if they were incapacitated. Here in the basement of the hospital with no backup, he was on his own.

    Moss and Lime appeared in front of him, growling at the banished god. Even Sting had forcefully summoned herself, poising her rapier at Crom Cruach. Despite his familiars standing guard, Sero knew that this was a battle that could only end one way.

    Gathering his mana and energy, Sero tried to muster up the courage to fight. But Crom Cruach''s presence was overwhelming, the air thick with the stench of decay and power. The creature''s eyes narrowed, amused by Sero''s feeble attempts to resist. It didn''t help that he couldn''t sense Aphiel''s presence either.

    "Why do you bother?" Crom Cruach''s voice was a chilling whisper that seemed to echo in Sero''s very soul. "You are but a mere mortal playing with the fires of the divine. I am the end of your kind''s world."

    He couldn''t even bring himself to look directly at Crom Cruach''s eyes, let alone speak. His body was shaking, but he had to do something. "What... what do you want from me?" he managed to stutter out, his voice pathetically weak. He had been terrified facing off against Apep, but against a banished god, even one that was simply using a vessel to project his divinity, was beyond his scope of understanding.

    The creature chuckled, a sound that seemed to resonate through the very fabric of the room. "You? I have no need for you, mortal. But I will enjoy watching you squirm and fail in your futile attempts to stop us. Your kind always does."

    Crom Cruach took a step forward, which triggered Sero to unleash everything he had onto the man. Fire blasts, freezing water, bolts of lightning and earth, pure magic, demonic energy... Sero threw everything at the man that used to be Dr. Malek, hoping that the sheer quantity of spells would overwhelm the god.

    His familiars joined the fray, with Sero conjuring up his face card court and the reptilian army. The entire basement level shook with the roars of his summons and spells. He even tried to summon a Carnal Seven Sin to no avail, hinting to Sero that even creatures of pure instinct didn''t want to face Crom Cruach.

    Finally, Sero''s assault began to wane, his mana reserves depleted and his body screaming for rest. He panted heavily, his eyes never leaving Crom Cruach, who remained untouched by the onslaught. The god''s amusement was palpable, and it only served to enrage Sero further. But as he looked, he saw something that gave him hope¡ªDr. Malek''s body was showing signs of strain and decay. He could at least stall for time.

    Unfortunately, it seemed as though Crom Cruach also noticed this, but the banished god didn''t seem bothered. In fact, he seemed to be growing more amused by the second. "You know, for a mere mortal, you put up quite the entertaining fight," he said, his deep voice echoing through the basement. "But you''re wasting your time. You cannot hope to defeat me, not even with your stolen powers. I''ve heard so many rumors of the Scholar, yet I''m disappointed finally facing the legend itself."

    The room grew cold as Crom Cruach began to laugh, the sound sending shivers down Sero''s spine. The creature''s form grew larger, the air around him thickening with malevolence. Sero''s mind raced, trying to think of anything that could give him an advantage. He emulated Lawbreak, desperately willing a way out. But nothing happened.

    The banished god''s eyes illuminated with a green fire as he gathered wisps of dark jade haze into his hands. Sero''s body buzzed, but he was unable to copy the skill, let alone learn what it was. Frozen in fear and all of his familiars gone, Sero felt as if his time had come.

    "I see you recognize your insignificance now," Crom Cruach cackled, his voice echoing through the ruined hallways of the hospital basement. "You are but a mere ant, a fleeting spark in the grand tapestry of the cosmos."

    Although he was scared shitless, Sero had to agree. He was only a human, who had quickly met people stronger than he was and encountered beings from different realms that were vastly stronger than them. Forget his overpowered skills, they were nothing if they couldn''t reach beings like Apep or Crom Cruach.

    But, Sero was stubborn. He had come this far, survived this much, and there was no way he was going to die here in this basement, especially not at the hands of a god that talked too much. He had lost and gained too much to just give up.

    Summoning every ounce of courage and spite, Sero glared at the looming figure of Crom Cruach. "Is that all you''ve got? Insults and fancy lights?"

    Instead of responding, the banished god chuckled darkly, sending the green haze spiraling around his hands into the air. "Your spirit is amusing, little Scholar," he mused. "But it''s time to put an end to your tale."

    Sero''s body buzzed, but he found himself unable to copy or learn what the skill was. Probably because it was a god''s skill, despite him being banished.

    That was still the least of Sero''s worry as Crom Cruach fired a volley of the green haze at him. Sero braced for impact, but to his surprise, the haze stopped just before it could hit him. The air thickened, and a soft glow enveloped him, a gentle warmth that was at odds with the malevolent energy that had filled the room moments ago.

    "Sweetheart, I swear if you ever put me under mind control again, I will inject you with so many unknown substances that you''ll be wishing that man had hit you with that attack," Madison scolded Sero as she appeared from behind.

 Chapter 113: The Siege - Part 4

    Sero had never been so relieved to see the Deathwalker coming to his aid. Madison''s appearance had bought him a brief reprieve from Crom Cruach''s onslaught. Her voice was a mix of annoyance and concern, her eyes trained on the banished god.

    "Oh? Another Ascendant, come to die?" Crom Cruach said with a wicked amusement. He didn''t seem to be fazed or concerned by the Janitor''s appearance.

    Madison rolled her eyes, a plethora of syringes appearing in between her fingers. "My Class might be the Deathwalker, but ain''t nobody dyin'' here. Cept for you, of course."

    As she tensed, she gave a quick glance to Sero.

    "Sweetheart, I''ve heard how strong you are. I''ll do my best to back you up, but in my opinion, I gotta strong feeling this fella''s too much for the both of us." Madison quietly said to him. "I made an entrance behind us to save your butt, so maybe we can go back through there. The rest''ll be coming soon, so we just hafta hold out till then."

    Sero tightened his fists, wanting to agree with Madison, but also not wanting the chance to give up on Dr. Malek, despite the latter having succumbed to Crom Cruach. There had to be a chance that the doctor''s mind was still intact, and subsequently, knowledge of the locations of the other Culling Pillars.

    "I know we just met a few days ago, but I need you to trust me," Sero replied as he stepped up next to Madison. "I think you already realize that his body''s crumbling from that power, so he''ll be destroyed pretty soon. Before that happens, I need to extract some information from him."

    The Deathwalker finally turned her gaze away from the banished god to look at Sero in disbelief. She opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it upon seeing the slightly demented determination in Sero''s eyes.

    "...Alright, sweetheart. But just so you know, I''m fixin'' to leave the moment things get dicey, so you''ll be on your own."

    "That''s okay," Sero agreed, "Just show me some of your skills beforehand."

    Whether or not Madison was going to accept, Sero wouldn''t know as Crom Cruach threw out a mass of dark green shadows at them. He quickly dodged the attack, instinctively feeling that he would be annihilated if the shadows even brushed him. As he moved, he caught sight of a golden syringe flying towards him, but didn''t dodge it, copying the skill as ''Adrenaline''.

    The syringe hit his chest, and Sero could feel the power of Madison''s Adrenaline skill surging through his veins. His heart raced, his senses sharpened, and his body filled with an unfamiliar energy. It was as if he had downed a dozen energy drinks at once, minus the jitters.

    He could sense a Recovery spell on him, followed by the sight of another golden syringe flying towards him. He gasped as he felt all of his mana and strength return to him, copying that skill as ''Restore''.

    "That''s all the useful skills I can use on you, sweetheart!" Madison yelled as she deftly dodged more shadowy blasts. "Don''t you go dying on me now, you hear?"

    "I''ve got too much to be thinking about doing that," Sero muttered under his breath, summoning his entire familiar roster. The twin dragons, Sting and face cards, and finally his spectral reptilian army came forth, rushing to take the brunt of Crom Cruach''s attacks. The banished god cackled with malicious glee, as if he enjoyed fighting and wasn''t concerned at all.

    Gritting his teeth, Sero focused, mimicking the same hand gestures he copied from Dante as he summoned a Carnal Seven. Instead of Wrath, a different sin exploded from the green light that emitted from Crom Cruach.

    It was tall and slender, with multiple tendrils that whipped around. Eyes were dotted all over the dark jade flesh of the creature, pointed towards Crom Cruach. It was a creature of Lust, and its very presence made the air thick with a seductive energy. Madison¡¯s eyes went wide with shock, but the banished god seemed to smile even wider.

    "Ah, an avatar of the deadly sins. How quaint." Crom Cruach''s voice echoed through the basement, his amusement clear. The creature of Lust let out a low growl, its tendrils snaking towards the banished god.

    Of course, Sero knew that the creature wouldn''t last long against the god, but it might serve as a distraction. He just needed enough time to try and access Dr. Malek''s subconscious, if it still existed within Crom Cruach''s. The rest of Sero''s familiars joined the sin of Lust in battling against the banished god, but it was quickly apparent just how enormous the power gap was.

    With the creature of Lust and his other familiars holding Crom Cruach''s attention, Sero took a deep breath and tried to focus. He had to figure out a way to enter the banished god¡¯s subconscious without getting killed in the process. He had a strong feeling that even a combination of Dominate and Mind Search wouldn''t be enough to subdue the god, so Sero racked his brain for anything he could do to momentarily distract possibly the strongest being he had ever faced.

    As Crom Cruach easily blew away the Lust sin along with half of his spectral reptilian army with one wave of a hand, Sero came up with the most idiotic idea in his life.

    "Here goes nothing," he muttered to himself, and then with a roar, Sero charged directly at Crom Cruach. Madison''s eyes widened in shock and she opened her mouth to yell something, but the banished god''s laughter drowned out her voice.

    "What a bold, yet foolish move," Crom Cruach said, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and malice as Sero sprinted towards him. The banished god''s form grew more monstrous, the doctor''s body distorting and stretching into a nightmarish visage that seemed to be a mix of decay and dark beauty.

    Sero leapt up into the air, conjuring the Jury axe and Order staff, bringing both of the impossibly heavy weapons down on the banished god. Crom Cruach simply laughed, not bothering to dodge. Instead, he raised his hands, catching both of the weapons with ease.

    With the first step of his plan completed, Sero casted Hellspark, covering his body in demonic lightning that arced around him like a living storm. The creature of Lust''s tendrils had wrapped around Crom Cruach''s arms, giving Sero the opportunity he needed. He knew the creature wouldn''t last long, but it had served its purpose.

    The Hellspark raced across the weapons, assaulting Crom Cruach. Whether or not it actually affected him, Sero didn''t know, as the banished god simply threw his head back and laughed, his eyes never leaving Sero''s. He knew this wasn''t a fight he could win on his own, even with Madison supporting him. But then again, he wasn''t focused on winning.

    Before Crom Cruach could figure out his plan, Sero immediately casted a Repel, sending the banished god flying backwards as he slipped in a Charm in the mix. Sero followed after the god, powering up a Dominate and Mind Search as much as he could before firing at him.

    The Charm hit its mark, and for a brief moment, Crom Cruach''s eyes glazed over. Madison took this opportunity to unleash a barrage of golden syringes, each one filled with a mysterious, colorful cocktail. "I don''t know what your plan is or if this''ll work, sweetheart, but let''s give it a shot!"

    "Oh, nice," Sero thought as he copied the skill ''Sedation''. With the amount that Madison had administered to the banished god, Sero figured he had at least 5 minutes, if even, to delve into what was left of Dr. Malek''s mind.

    His world went dark as Sero''s subconscious entered the momentarily stunned but still grinning Crom Cruach''s mind. The chaos of the battlefield outside faded away, replaced by a serene, yet eerie mental landscape. Different from the initial vast darkness from before, Sero found himself in a library, the shelves stretching infinitely into the horizon.

    "What the..." Sero shook his head, focusing on the task at hand. He couldn''t get distracted by every little thing. The most important goal right now was to find any traces of Dr. Malek''s memories regarding the locations of any and all Culling members.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    He searched through the shelves, each book a memory of the doctor. He pulled one out, dust flying around him as he cracked open the pages. Unfortunately, they were blank, the memories likely erased by Crom Cruach''s dominance. Sero gritted his teeth, knowing that time was running out.

    He ventured deeper within the library labyrinth, acutely aware that the entire world was slowly crumbling, probably due to the banished god''s intense influence. Sero would have to escape the realm before it completely disintegrated, lest his consciousness fade away along with Dr. Malek''s.

    The books grew more numerous and the air grew thicker with each step. It was like trying to navigate through a jungle of forgotten thoughts and lost dreams. The occasional tremor from outside the mental realm reminded Sero of the ticking clock. He had to find something, anything, before Crom Cruach regained his composure.

    Then, something caught his eye. Rather, it was three glowing tomes up in the distance.

    "I guess that''s what''s left of Dr. Malek''s mind," Sero murmured to himself, making a beeline towards the light. The tremors grew more frequent and the shelves started to wobble as the sedative effects of Madison''s syringes began to wear off.

    He drew closer, his heart pounding in his chest. The tomes were suspended in the air, each one emanating a soft, pulsing light¡ªand an associated memory.

    The first one contained images of people Sero didn''t recognize, but they wore the garb of Culling members. That was probably the one he needed.

    Breathing a sigh of relief, Sero reached out to grab the tome- then hesitated. His eyes caught sight of the images the other two tomes were displaying, making his heart drop.

    The one on the right of the center tome had memories of his father, from his first admission to the hospital up until his last moments. The one on the left had memories of a woman, someone he didn''t think he''d see ever again. His mother.

    Frozen in shock, Sero didn''t realize that the mind space was crumbling faster, the destruction rumbling right towards him.

    "Fuck!" Sero exclaimed as he realized his mistake. The sedative was wearing off and Crom Cruach was about to regain control. He had to move quickly.

    As he pulled the center tome towards him, Sero gasped as he felt the weight of the memories. It was then that he realized he could only escape with one tome.

    Despite the urgency of the situation, Sero had to think. Here was his only chance to gain information about the whereabouts of key Culling members. But there were memories of his mother and father as well. Memories he wasn''t aware of, something he could take and remember them by.

    Sero clicked his tongue and heaved a heavy sigh as he watched the imminent destruction come crashing upon him.

    <hr>

    Madison watched as Sero seemed to enter a trance, mirroring the same expression as Crom Cruach. She had no idea what had just happened, but all she knew was that the chaos had paused, if only temporary.

    She wasn''t sure what to do, so she continued to inject the man Sero was fighting with Sedation needles. Unfortunately, even as Madison rapidly increased the amount of sedatives, Crom Cruach remained unfazed. The creature¡¯s form grew more monstrous with each shot, his skin thickening and stretching over his bones, turning into something that no longer resembled human. It seemed as though whatever malevolent energy he possessed was corroding Dr. Malek''s body from the inside out.

    "Sweetheart, I hope you know what you''re doing," she murmured as she tried to keep the evil god under for as long as possible.

    The half of Sero''s army that remained tried their best to help Madison restrain Crom Cruach, but their efforts were futile against the banished god''s might. Madison''s heart raced as she saw the monstrous form growing larger, the room feeling as if it was closing in around them.

    Just as it seemed as though the banished god was about to awaken, Sero let out a gasp and fell back from Crom Cruach.

    "Good lord!" Madison exclaimed, catching Sero as he stumbled back, the haze of the battle dissipating around them. "What the hell did you do?"

    "I... had to give up my parents again," Sero mumbled, the weight of his decision apparent in his voice. He looked at Madison, his eyes haunted. "But I got what we needed. I know where the Culling members are."

    Before Madison could question what he meant by his first statement, the two of them heard a sinister chuckle. Crom Cruach''s eyes snapped open, and his body began to contort and expand, his human form ripping at the seams as he grew into something monstrous. The air grew thick with the stench of decay and power as the ripples of pressure emanating from the banished god shredded through the weakest of Sero''s familiars, leaving only the Lust sin, Moss, Lime, and Sting.

    "It was a good effort, keeping me sedated long enough to probe around and do whatever it is you needed in the remains of this mortal''s mind," Crom Cruach spoke with a disturbing calmness, his new form dwarfing the two of them. The creature''s eyes burned with a green flame, the very essence of malice made manifest. "But as amusing as this has been, I have a limited amount of time before this vessel crumbles. As such, I need to wreak as much havoc as possible."

    The basement shook as the banished god flexed his newfound form, the concrete cracking under his monstrous weight. Madison took a step back, her hands glowing with silver mana. "Sweetheart, this is right around the time that I''m going to hafta exit."

    Sero, mentally exhausted from his journey into the desolate mind realm of Dr. Malek, couldn''t agree more. The only problem was, after depleting all of his energy and resources, coupled with the second wind that Madison had given him wearing off, he could barely muster the strength to run away.

    His body was already at its limit, unable to contain any more powers like a cup with multiple leaks. Sero thought he took a step forward, only to find himself stumbling.

    "Uh-oh..." he mumbled, quickly realizing what little options he had left. He turned to the Deathwalker, mustering up a small smile. "Hey, don''t worry about me and run away."

    Madison stared at him incredulously. "What the hell are you planning to do?"

    "Honestly, even if I had the strength, I can''t really do anything at this point," Sero admitted, wobbling in place. "I''m not even sure if I can buy enough time for you to get out of here and warn the others, but I''ll try my best."

    "Listen sweetheart, as much as I''d love to take you up on that offer, I''m not about to leave you to face this monster alone," Madison said with a firmness in her voice that left no room for argument. Her eyes searched the room, looking for any way they could escape together. "I took an oath to protect and save lives, even when that very life I''m tryin'' to save is making stupid choices."

    Sero felt a warmth in his chest, despite the cold sweat that covered his body. He had made his choice, and Madison had made hers. They were in this together, and she was right¡ªthere was no way he could fight Crom Cruach in his current state.

    That wasn''t to say that having Madison to help would even change anything. Crom Cruach was already beginning to move again, the Sedation wearing off like a fog dissipating in the wind. The creature of Lust roared and charged at the evil god, but was easily swiped away like a pesky fly.

    Moss and Lime growled, standing guard in front of the two while Sting brandished her rapier. Sero was thankful to have them as well, but it was only a slight comfort against the power of a banished god. Madison¡¯s hands glowed with silver mana as she prepared some more attacks.

    "...Havin'' said that, do you have any ideas?" Madison asked, her voice tight with tension.

    Sero could only laugh in response. "Nope."

    He looked at his trembling hands and took a deep breath, trying to calm the racing thoughts in his mind. This was far beyond anything he had ever faced before, and he managed to survive against powerful enemies he thought would end him in a snap. Hell, he''d take fighting Apep again instead of a fragment of an evil god.

    Said evil god stepped forward, the malice radiating off him growing stronger with every second. Sero felt his heart thumping in his chest like a bass drum at a heavy metal concert, desperately trying to gather the strength to move.

    "I must say, I''m quite bored at what you two had to offer me," Crom Cruach sneered, the very air around them growing colder. His eyes, once a piercing green, had turned into a void that seemed to swallow all light. "Almost makes me irritated that I wasted my time on such vermin."

    Black energy crackled towards the evil god, covering the room in a thick shroud of darkness that obscured everything from sight. Sero could feel Madison dragging him away as his familiars stood to protect them. But it was futile.

    Crom Cruach launched the energy at his familiars, who braced themselves for the impact. Sero felt a pang of fear and pain, not only for his own safety but for Moss, Lime, and Sting, who were fighting for his cause despite being mere summons. The room was filled with a deafening silence as the energy collided with the creatures, a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity.

    Then, a shockwave erupted from the point of impact, sending Madison and Sero sprawling across the floor. The darkness receded, revealing a leveled basement with the remains of his familiars scattered across the space. Sero¡¯s chest tightened as he saw their lifeless forms. Despite being mere constructs of his magic, their sacrifice hit him hard.

    However, he didn''t have time to mourn their temporary loss as Crom Cruach charged up another attack, instantaneously firing it at them. Madison could only throw herself in the path of the attack to protect Sero. "Madison, no!" he shouted.

    A giant spectral violet sword slammed down in front of them, blocking the evil god''s attack. The tremendous force of the collision sent shockwaves through the room, knocking over what was left of the shelves and debris. Sero''s eyes widened in astonishment as he saw the figure standing behind the sword.

    Perhaps it was due to Crom Cruach''s overwhelming aura, but Sero became aware of several other presences that flooded the room. Two streaks of red and silver dashed towards the banished god as a couple of hands lifted him up to his feet.

    "Glad we made it in time," Gregor rumbled as his sword dissipated, "Though I see you''ve had quite the party without us."

    The sudden relief that washed over Sero rendered him unconscious, but not before he saw the rest of the Janitors engage in combat with Crom Cruach.

 Chapter 114: Hope on the Horizon

    "Fuck!"

    Enzo yelled as he and Maximillian were thrown back by a single punch. Kit, having taken Sero from Cassandra and Gwyndolyn, immediately teleported them outside, where the rest of the alliance was waiting.

    Meanwhile, Dune knelt next to Madison and helped her to her feet as Gregor''s body began to glow with a purple aura. The other Janitors, sensing their leader''s strength, regrouped and braced themselves for what came next.

    "Everyone, this may very well be the strongest opponent we''ve faced," Gregor announced gravely, his aura flaring with purple light. "But this is why I formed the Janitors. To take care of jobs no others would do."

    And with that, Gregor invoked his King''s Will Skill, telepathically sending Crom Cruach flying upwards through the ceiling basement and out into the open sky. The banished god roared in fury as the Janitors followed, a grim determination in each and every one of them.

    Waiting outside was the rest of the alliance, Dante with the guild heads and Elizabeth with the A.R.E.S. division. The sight of Gregor rushing out from the basement with a grim look on his face was all it took for the group to realize the gravity of the situation. They rarely saw such an expression on the Conqueror''s face, and the last time they saw it was when the world threatened to go into war.

    "All hands on deck! Ranged Ascendants, focus fire on the being I sent into the sky! Close-combat Ascendants, reinforce yourselves!" Gregor''s voice boomed across the ruined hospital. "Support Ascendants, secure and lock down the location. Nothing gets in or out of here!"

    The alliance sprang into action like a well-oiled machine. Crom Cruach, who had recovered mid-air in the sky, simply cackled as he fended off attacks with a black barrier that surrounded him. The barrier was thick and almost impenetrable, but it wasn''t perfect, allowing some spells and blasts to strike his eroding body.

    Despite the damage, it seemed like the banished god didn''t feel the pain, firing several black and green bolts of corrupted energy down upon the alliance. The stronger of the Ascendants tried their best to shield the others with various barriers and spells, but some bolts slipped through, leaving craters in their wake as they disintegrated those unfortunate enough to be caught in them.

    Enzo and Maximillian spat out curses as they flew through the air, landing on either side of Gregor with two booms.

    "Gregor... this guy might be a little tough to deal with," Maximillian scowled as he picked himself off the ground with a groan. The Metallicize armor that covered his body had cracks, threatening to fall apart.

    "I can''t believe it, but I agree with him, Boss," Enzo coughed out a mouthful of dust as he took his position alongside Gregor. His body was bruised and battered, but the Demonic Judge showed no signs of slowing down due to his Relentless passive. "Apep was one thing, but a banished god?"

    "Hey, all we need to do is hold out ¡®til the host body breaks down!" Madison shouted over the chaos, her eyes glowing with determination as she cast healing spells on the injured Janitors. "I analyzed it earlier and we''ve got ''bout five minutes tops before it''s completely useless!"

    Cassandra, Gwyndolyn, and Dune joined them, their faces uncharacteristically grim. The Merchant King nodded to Enzo and Maximillian. "You boys remember that week where Madison had to constantly juice us in the war overseas?"

    Both men flinched at the memory. "Yeah, we remember," Enzo grunted, cracking his knuckles. "And we remember how much that sucked. You''re not seriously saying that-"

    Everyone stiffened as Dune took off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of eyes that were literally made of pure gold. Even Gregor bowed his head at the gesture, understanding what it meant.

    "Oh, fuck." Enzo slumped his shoulders. "It''s really that bad, isn''t it?"

    "Seeing as how Duke has taken off his sunglasses, I don''t need to state this obvious," Gregor spoke, conjuring his colossal sword. "That being is on par, if not more powerful, than the army and their commander we faced overseas long ago. So, my Janitors, on my lead."

    The air was thick with fear and grim determination, as the alliance members took their positions. The roar of the banished god echoed through the night, sending shivers down the spines of even the most seasoned fighters. The Janitors formed a tight semi-circle around Gregor, their eyes focused on the monstrous being.

    "As much as it pains me to admit, even I cannot assure our chances of defeating that monster. That being said, our goal is to minimize the damage it can do while we wait for the host body to disintegrate," the Conqueror said, his gaze never leaving the creature in the sky. "I do not blame any of you if you wish to leave. I fear this is easily the most powerful foe we''ve faced yet."

    "I don''t know about the others, Boss, but I''m with you till the very end," Enzo said, an unhinged fire in his eyes as he summoned his Jury axe.

    "Ditto, sir. I''ve already taken off my sunglasses, so you know I''m serious," Dune quipped, a hint of a smile playing on his lips despite the dire situation.

    The other Janitors voiced their agreements, readying their skills in preparation for the battle ahead. Gregor gave a faint smile before he barked out his orders.

    "Maximillian, Cassandra, use your metal and glass abilities to form a barrier around the banished god to prevent his attacks from doing more harm! Gwyndolyn, coordinate our attacks using your Steady Tempo passive! Duke, gather your strength and guard Madison while she provides healing and support. Enzo, with me!" Gregor''s voice boomed through the night air as the other alliance members fell into place around the Janitors.

    "Shit, the other guild heads aren''t here," Dante swore as he rushed up next to Gregor. "They got held up by some of the monsters that got through in the other Zones. Only J''takk and Meredith are with me, so we''ll have to rely on you guys to be the frontline."

    "That is our duty after all," Gregor said calmly, his eyes never leaving the monstrous form of Crom Cruach. "We are the Janitors. We handle the messes that no one else can."

    Maximillian let out a roar as he bent the metal in the area to his will, the air crackling with kinetic energy. The metal twisted and grew, forming an enormous dome around Crom Cruach. The god''s eyes narrowed, and he raised his hand to dispel the barricade, but it was too late. Cassandra had already stepped in, her body a whirlwind of glass shards, each one a potential weapon. The dome grew denser, a cage of steel and shards, trapping him in a prison of their making.

    The banished god simply laughed, beginning to fire off bolts of corrupted energy that clashed and exploded against the metal and glass barrier. The ground around them trembled with the force of each impact. The dome held, but it was clear that it wouldn''t last forever.

    Even as the dome began to crack, Dante had rounded up the alliance, organizing more barriers and protective spells to cover the area. The A.R.E.S. division stood ready, their mechanical suits whirring with power as they aimed their weapons at the sky. Madison, now protected by Duke''s golden aura, chanted her spells rapidly, her eyes flicking between her fellow Janitors and the barrier that was barely holding.

    "Ready?!" Gregor shouted to Gwyndolyn, who nodded as she snapped her fingers rhythmically.

    "Now!" she yelled, and the Janitors and their allies unleashed a coordinated assault on Crom Cruach, their attacks moving in time with her steady beat.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Gregor and Enzo were at the forefront, purple and red auras crackling as the dome fell apart. The two men, driven by their oaths and the weight of their responsibilities, charged towards the banished god. The power behind their swings was immeasurable, a fiery strength that even Crom Cruach seemed to feel as he braced for their impact.

    The Conqueror''s massive sword and the Demonic Judge''s Jury axe crashed upon the evil god''s form, the sound echoing through the night like a thunderous crescendo. Each hit sent shockwaves through the area, the very ground cracking under the pressure. Yet Crom Cruach remained unscathed, his twisted smile never wavering as he continued to laugh.

    "One minute left! Dune, you''re up!" Madison cried out, locking eyes with Gwyndolyn. The Serenade kept snapping her fingers, timing the moment before she signaled for Duke to join in.

    Dune took off in a sprint, power radiating in every step as he wordlessly charged at Crom Cruach. It was a different vibe compared to when the Merchant King helped Enzo and Maximillian fight against Apep, seeing as he wasn''t laughing.

    The alliance watched with bated breath as the three Janitors collided with the banished god. Dune''s punches had the force of an earthquake, yet they barely phased Crom Cruach. The creature''s malicious aura grew denser, his eyes burning with a green flame.

    Gwyndolyn shouted again, which prompted Dune to cast Interest on Enzo. With a final growl, the Demonic Judge casted a combined Revenge and Retribution, his axe connecting with the evil god''s side. The sheer force of the blow sent a shockwave that shattered the remaining windows of the nearby buildings and sent cars flying through the air like ragdolls. Even Gregor and Dune had to stumble back, the tremors from the impact threatening to knock them off their feet.

    Before the dust even settled, everyone saw Enzo flying out from the debris, blasted away from the collision with Crom Cruach. His body was a mess, skidding across the ground and conveniently stopping at Madison''s feet.

    "Don''t suppose... you could stitch me up... painlessly...?" Enzo managed to croak out as he coughed up a mouthful of dirt. Madison knelt beside him, her eyes a mix of anger and worry.

    "Sweetheart, I''m about to make you a livin'' zombie if you charge in again," Madison snapped, her eyes flashing with a mix of irritation and concern. She placed her hand on Enzo''s chest, her golden aura seeping into his torn body, repairing the damages one by one.

    "How unfortunate. This body is much more frail than I expected," Crom Cruach''s voice echoed through the destruction, the smoke clearing to reveal his rapidly deteriorating human form. "Despite that, no Ascendant was able to stand against me. Completely and utterly disappointing."

    The banished god''s body was partially dissolving into a pool of black ooze, but his malicious smile remained as he looked down upon the Janitors. He raised his only good hand into the air, gathering an unfathomable amount of wicked energy. "Perhaps I''ll leave you all with a parting gift."

    "Hold fast!" Gregor bellowed, his voice carrying the weight of command as he saw the god''s power building up. The Janitors and their allies braced themselves, each preparing for the inevitable onslaught.

    "You guys need help?"

    A figure dashed forward with blinding speed, catching them all off guard. The newcomer stopped in front of the evil god, revealing themselves to be a young man with blonde hair. He had an apron on and a bandana around his head, giving the impression of a chef rather than a warrior. Yet, the aura around him was anything but mundane.

    He drew a simple sword from his side and calmly swung it down. Then again. And again. Each time, the blade sliced through the air as if it were made of paper, leaving a trail of blue light in its wake. The room grew colder and the air grew heavier with each swing.

    Crom Cruach''s attack dissipated in the face of the newcomer''s sword, the very essence of his malicious power being cleaved away by the relentless strikes. The young man''s eyes were calm and collected, as if simply cutting up a piece of meat in a kitchen rather than facing a banished god.

    Gregor didn''t miss a beat, jumping into action alongside the mysterious blonde. "Thank the heavens for your timing!" he bellowed, his sword flashing with renewed vigor. The young chef looked over his shoulder, flashing a smile.

    "Good to see you too, Gregor," the chef said, his eyes never leaving Crom Cruach. "Sorry it took a while. I was over in the fifth zone."

    "The fuck?!" Madison shouted, unable to believe the sudden turn of events. "Who the hell is this guy?"

    "Madison, my dear, please refrain from using crude language," Gregor admonished, though his eyes remained on the battle. Or what was left, as the young man quickly decimated the remnants of the evil god''s withering body.

    Crom Cruach let out a final hiss of irritation before he vanished into black explosive smoke, leaving a silence across the battlefield after the blast. The other Janitors and alliance members stared in shock at the display of power and speed from the newcomer.

    The blonde-haired man looked over at Madison, his blue eyes piercing through the chaos. He flashed a charming smile that made her feel like she was melting into a puddle of butter on a hot sidewalk. "I''m Gale. Nice to meet you guys."

    "Wait, Gale? As in, the goddamned third strongest S-rank in the world?" Enzo painfully managed to sit up, his eyes wide with shock.

    "Indeed, Enzo. This man is a Master Swordsman," Gregor said with a nod of respect. "Though he is also known by his enemies as the Steel Reaper."

    Gale waved a dismissive hand. "I don''t really care about ranks or titles, I''m just glad I was able to get here on time."

    "How did you know to come?" Madison asked, still in awe of what she had just witnessed.

    "Guessing the Silverbloods are on the way here?" Maximillian suddenly appeared with a growl, staggering towards Gale with a glare as he rudely pushed past the Deathwalker. "Who else besides you?"

    "Oh, Max? Been a while man, how have you been?" Gale greeted nonchalantly, not even bothering to look at him. His gaze remained on the spot where Crom Cruach had disappeared.

    "You know damn well how I''ve- ugh, never mind," Maximillian said, waving off Gale''s question. "You''re not the one I''m pissed off at, anyway. Who else besides you is coming?"

    "I dunno. I was already on the way because I heard there was a restock of the rare fish I wanted to prepare. Then Gregor sent a message to me- well, through the Silverbloods, and it got to me so I rushed here. I''m not even a part of them anymore," Gale replied, turning away from the ashes of the banished god. "Think I left a week after you did all those months ago."

    Maximillian''s eyes narrowed, his anger simmering but curiosity winning out. "So you haven''t kept in contact with them?"

    "Nope. Got bored of the politics," Gale said with a casual shrug, sheathing his sword. "Plus, they don''t enjoy my sushi. Can''t say I miss ''em."

    The Iron Tyrant''s shoulders relaxed slightly, but not entirely. "Well, whether they like your sushi or not, we''re all in this mess together now," he grunted, surveying the damage around them. "At least they''re not here yet. I''m not prepared to see any of those bastards again."

    With that, he limped away, leaving Gale standing in the middle of the battle-scarred street. Madison watched him for a moment, still not fully believing what had just happened. Then, she turned to Gregor, her expression a mix of disbelief and irritation. "Seriously? You had Gale on speed dial and didn''t bother mentioning it?"

    "My dear, Gale is a wanderer. I wasn''t entirely sure myself if the message I sent to the Silverbloods would reach him," Gregor looked over to Madison with a hint of apology in his eyes. "But it seems like fortune has shone upon us."

    Gwyndolyn, Cassandra, and Duke joined them, all equally astonished by Gale''s appearance. The Merchant King especially looked impressed, though it seemed more over something else rather than his display of power.

    "Sir, that was some blade you have there, might I say," Duke said, eyeing Gale''s sword with a greedy gleam. "What say you trade that in for some of my finest wares?"

    "Uh... no, thank you," Gale replied with a polite smile, gripping his sword tighter. "This sword is very special to me."

    "Janitors, please, let us focus. I will debrief Gale on what transpired here. Break and support the alliance with helping the survivors," Gregor said firmly, his gaze sweeping over the group.

    As the others dispersed, Gregor turned to Gale. "We have a brief respite, but we must be prepared for more battles to come. I''m not quite sure what exactly happened, but for the most part it seems as though our friend Sero happened to stumble upon a rogue Ascendant affiliated with Culling. That same Ascendant who was possessed by a fragment of a banished god."

    "Banished god, huh? That''s new to me. But then again, I''ve been out of the loop," Gale said, his eyes scanning the area as if he was expecting something more to happen. "So, what''s the deal with this Sero guy?"

    "Ah. He''s an exceptional young man. His class is the Scholar, which is far more unique than other unique classes known so far. It''s quite powerful, enabling him to copy and use the skills of other Ascendants," Gregor said with a hint of pride. "He''s also a bit... unorthodox. But I believe he''s the one we need in these times."

    "Cool. So, where is he?" Gale inquired, his curiosity piqued.

    "The last I saw of him, Kit took him away, most likely for emergency aid and healing," Gregor replied, his gaze following the direction where Kit and Sero had disappeared. "I have faith he''s doing just fine now. After all the hardships he faced, I can''t imagine even a fragment of a banished god would be enough to keep him down."

    Gale nodded thoughtfully, his eyes still on the retreating figures of the Janitors. "So, we''ve got a new weight class of supernatural beings and a bunch of rogue Ascendants to deal with. And apparently, the Silverbloods are on their way," he murmured, the weight of the unspoken question hanging in the air.

    "Maximillian has assured me that he will not stir up any trouble once they arrive," Gregor said, though the tension in his voice suggested otherwise. "But we should prepare for the worst, while hoping for the best."